Pontotoc's Bridgman grows into ace role
Jan. 28—PONTOTOC — Averi Bridgman does not cut an imposing figure in the pitcher's circle, but she sure knows how to cut down hitters.
The 5-foot-5 Pontotoc junior blossomed into an ace last season, going 12-4 with a 1.56 ERA. She's not a power pitcher, but she still struck out 133 batters in 116 2-3 innings, and she induced a lot of weak contact. Opponents hit only .155 against her.
Bridgman's secret is in the spin.
"She has very good spin on the ball," coach Michael Wildmon said. "She has very good command when she's in the circle. She has a lot of confidence. When she steps in, she believes she's fixing to get that out."
More spin adds more movement to pitches, and Bridgman focused hard on that skill between her freshman and sophomore seasons.
She did a lot of work with her former pitching coach, Daniel Rowland, who's an assistant coach at Delta State. Bridgman recently committed to the Lady Statesmen.
Harder than honing her spin, though, was gaining the confidence to go with it. Bridgman said the seniors on last year's team helped her with that.
"They all helped out a lot, and they really did boost my confidence a whole bunch. Because I felt like a tiny, weak sophomore, and then I was all good to go after they helped me a lot," Bridgman said.
After logging 55 innings as a freshman, with a 5-3 record and 3.05 ERA, Bridgman became the reliable ace Pontotoc needed last spring. The Lady Warriors went 21-9 and reached the second round of the Class 4A playoffs. Bridgman had a 1,90 ERA in five postseason games.
"I really didn't have anything that I was scared of," she said of her expanded role. "It was just the pressure of everybody at that point knowing, she can throw. What else does she have?"
She hopes to have a little more for batters to deal with this season. Bridgman has added a drop ball to her repertoire; it was a pitch that didn't work for her at all last season. In fact, she usually shook it off when Wildmon called for it.
"I knew as soon as I would throw it, it was gone," Bridgman said. "It worked one time, but after that it didn't. It's come a long way. It actually works now."
Bridgman is very attuned to how well she's pitching during a game. If a certain pitch isn't working, she can quickly diagnose and fix the problem.
"It's just an instinct," she said.
She harbors big expectations for herself this season, and the same goes for the rest of the Lady Warriors. They're looking to build off 2022, and a continually improving Bridgman will be perhaps the biggest piece of that effort.
"If you looked at her in the circle, she's not overbearing physically," Wildmon said. "But she works hard, and it's constant (that) she's doing something to try and get better."
Pontotoc opens the season Feb. 13 against Smithville.
