April 15, 2009

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Melissa Lockey has been a top pinch-runner for the Spartans' softball program in her four years at USC Upstate. Last season, she played in 42 games, earning starts against Campbell and Presbyterian, scoring runs in wins over Stony Brook and Princeton, both teams that went on to advance to the NCAA Tournament. In 2007, she pinch ran in 51 games, stealing 20 bases on 21 attempts, and finishing the season ranked sixth in the Peach Belt Conference in stolen bases.

As a freshman, Lockey saw action in 47 games and finished the season with a .286 batting average, 15 stolen bases and 18 runs scored. Her 15 stolen bases were ranked fourth on the team. She also had a stand-out performance in a start at Pfeiffer, finishing the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a stolen base.

Before coming to Upstate, Lockey lettered in softball and basketball at Holly Hill Academy, where she was a four-time All-Region selection and earned All-State honors from the High School Report and Charleston Post and Courier Publications.

On Wednesday, Lockey and the Spartans will travel to Columbia, S.C. to compete against the University of South Carolina, the second SEC team they will play this year. They lost to Ole Miss earlier in the season, 10-4.

Lockey recently sat down with upstatespartans.com and discussed the adjustments the team will need to make in the final nine games of the season as well as her future plans.

What was the experience like winning a share of the A-Sun crown in your first season of Division I competition in 2008?
It was very unexpected yet overwhelming at the same time. We just went out there looking to give our best effort and play at the level we knew we could play at, hoping to win, and it happened that way.

Aside from receiving a conference championship ring, what is your most memorable experience with the USC Upstate softball program?
I remember sitting at my apartment with the whole team watching the Stetson-Florida Gulf Coast game last year, waiting to see who would win. We were all rooting for Stetson to win, which would then name us conference co-champions, which is exactly what happened. It's something I will never forget.

The team has seen some disappointing losses this season. What adjustments do you think the team has to make through the last nine games of the season?
I think we need to have a better focus throughout the rest of the season and work harder to consistently play at the level we know we can play at. We need to make sure we do the little things, not just every now and then, but throughout the game to see the results.

What is a typical practice like at Cyrill Stadium to prepare for an upcoming game?
It really depends on who we're going up against or what the situation is, but we usually do a lot of different hitting stations to prepare for the different styles of pitching we will face. We'll also always spend a lot of time on defense, working on ground balls and fly balls and different situations we might experience throughout the game.

As one of three seniors and captains on the softball team, how do you try to model yourself to the younger athletes on the team?
I always try to stay positive and to motivate them to keep working hard, especially if one of the younger athletes is having a bad game or had a bad at-bat or made an error in the field. I want to get them to buy into what we're trying to do here because if everyone is on the same page then we will be successful.

How is summer travel ball different from playing on a college team in-season?
With summer travel ball, that's exactly what you're doing, constantly traveling. At least in college, you'll have home games every once in a while. Throughout the summer, I have to drive 45 minutes just to get to practice because the girls are usually from all over the state with different styles of play, whereas here in college, all my teammates are situated on the same campus together and our playing styles are similar because we all learn from the same coach nine months out of the year.

If you could give any piece of advice to younger girls looking to play softball at the college level, what would you suggest?
I would suggest to always keep a positive attitude, have fun and to give your best effort. You can't always go out there and play up-tight or no one will notice you and you won't get the results you're looking for.

You are engaged to former men's soccer player, Tim Murphy. What is the timeline for the wedding and what are the future plans?
We're set to get married on October 3rd in Charleston. After the wedding, we'll be moving to Houston where we already have a house and then we'll go from there. He is working for an oil company and I plan on going back to school at some point to get my masters.

What is your favorite class that you have taken at Upstate and why?
My favorite class is the theory of rock music, which I'm actually taking currently. Rock music has always been my favorite type of music, so I've really enjoyed learning about the different forms of rock, and where the music originated from.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I'd like to be teaching, hopefully at the college level. I plan on going back to school and getting my masters in education, and then would ideally like to be teaching English.