STARKVILLE – One of the top pitchers in the Sun Belt Conference will make the transition to the Maroon and White for the 2020 season as Mississippi State softball head coach Samantha Ricketts announced the addition of Annie Willis on Thursday.
Willis, a dominant pitcher from Huntsville, Alabama, player two seasons at Troy, turning in a phenomenal freshman campaign en route to the 2018 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year award. A first-team all-conference selection in 2018, Willis maintained a 2.65 earned run average and totaled 221 strikeouts over her two seasons as a starter for the Trojans.
“I am excited to welcome Annie Willis to the Maroon and White,” Ricketts said. “With almost 300 collegiate innings under her belt, we expect her to jump in and provide our pitching staff with experience and maturity. She is a talented pitcher with a championship background. I am looking forward to seeing her in the circle for the Bulldogs.”
Last season, Willis made 26 appearances with 23 starts for the Trojans. She finished second on the squad with a 2.75 ERA and held a 9-10 record in the circle. She tossed six complete games and one shutout over 122.1 innings of work. Holding opponents to just a .222 average at the plate, Willis struck out 104 and walked just 38 batters as a sophomore.
Willis turned in a breakout freshman season, earning 2018 First Team All-Sun Belt and 2018 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors. Over her debut season, she started 27 of the 34 games that she appeared, finishing the season with a 2.57 ERA and 17-9 record. Willis led Troy with 117 strikeouts over 166 innings pitched. She also brought home two Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week awards during her freshman campaign.
Prepping at Westminster Christian Academy in Huntsville, Willis led the Wildcats to two regional appearances and two state appearances over her high school career. She was a three-time AWSA All-State First Team honoree and was tabbed 2017 ASWA Miss Softball as a senior. Willis finished her high school career with a 1.05 ERA with 79 shutouts and 1870 strikeouts.
