After slow start, Tori Briggs has returned to form for Fowlerville softball
The tough part was supposed to be out of the way when Fowlerville junior Tori Briggs committed to Central Michigan University’s softball program.
But while she no longer had to worry about her college future, Briggs felt she had to live up to her status as one of the rare NCAA Division I commits playing in the Gladiators’ league.
It took some time for her to get past the extra stress she was placing on herself.
“Some people think after committing, there was less pressure and it’s just fun,” Briggs said. “I think it’s the total opposite. I feel like I have a higher standard to uphold. I know I still have a lot of work to do. I don’t want to just be on a college team; I want to play and make an impact. I need to keep working hard to make that happen.”
After hitting .532 as a freshman and leading Livingston County with a .553 average as a sophomore, Briggs was batting .386 well into the Gladiators’ season, a solid average for most players, but a regression from her first two seasons.
“I had a slow start to the season,” Briggs said. “I realized that the mental game is just as important as the physical game. I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform. I realized I was lacking confidence. Sometimes, I struggle with things like that, but I worked through it and I’m trusting my abilities and focusing on putting the best version of myself on the field.”
Briggs has elevated her average to .492 by going 13-for-17 (.765) with three homers and 13 RBIs over the past five games to earn Livingston Daily Athlete of the Week. She has eight doubles, five homers, 31 RBIs and 28 runs this season.
In addition, Briggs has been a regular in the pitcher’s circle after playing shortstop and catcher her first two seasons. She is 5-3 with a 2.24 earned run average, 62 strikeouts and 18 walks in 40 2/3 innings.
“I haven’t pitched much in the last three years since I changed travel programs,” Briggs said. “I threw a few innings here and there in the last two high school seasons, but I wasn’t relied on as a pitcher.
“This year, it’s one of my main positions. I’m happy with how I’m performing and I’m having fun doing it. I’m a perfectionist. I’ve actually surprised myself. I’m doing better in the circle than I thought I would.”
When Briggs isn’t pitching, she could end up in any number of places on the field.
She has also played center field, second base, shortstop, third base and catcher. There are no plans to turn her into the next Andrew Romine, who played all nine positions for the Detroit Tigers in a game at Minnesota in 2017.
“It’s fun,” she said. “I like being all over the field and playing new positions I’ve never played before.”
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillKhan.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Tori Briggs has returned to form for Fowlerville softball
