<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">A day after laying out his vision for the future of McNeese State softball in his introductory news conference, n</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">ew Cowgirls coach James Landreneau landed a big piece in potentially getting the program into the nation’s Top 25.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Former Louisiana Miss Softball winner Baylee Corbello is coming home for her senior season, transferring to McNeese after three years at LSU. She will be immediately eligible to play for the Cowgirls.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“It’s cool to be close to home,” said the 2013 Sam Houston High graduate. “It’s where my sisters (Alex and Whitney) played. To have my family and grandparents be able to come to games — it was just the best fit for me.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Corbello was a Southeastern Conference all-freshman team selection in 2014, but her time in the circle dwindled when Carley Hoover transferred from Stanford prior to last season and the Tigers added freshman Sydney Smith this year.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Corbello pitc</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">hed 34 innings as a junior, but did go 6-0 with a 2.26 ERA and 34 strikeouts in those games.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">She said it was a struggle being phased out of the rotation, but said she understood why Tigers coach Beth Torina made that decision. Perhaps surprisingly, she is thankful for it rather than bitter.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“That was character-building for me,” Corbello said. “Had I not been put in a situation like that, I would not have developed some friendships I did and become the person I am. I thanked Coach Torina for the opportunity. Had I gone somewhere where I was just the stud, I wouldn’t have learned that.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“She gave me a situation people would kill for. How many 5-foot-5 pitchers would be on a team like that?”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Corbello was 19-9 with a 3.16 ERA in 199</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">1</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">⁄</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">3</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">innings as a freshman. She went 9-2 with a 2.36 ERA in 65</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">1</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">⁄</span><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">3</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">innings as a sophomore.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">As her playing time dwindled, her perspective grew.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“My identity was always softball. I was Baylee the pitcher instead of Baylee the human who happens to pitch,” Corbello said. “You learn who you are. It helped me grow as a person and not take the game for granted.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The opportunity will be there for her to make an impact at McNeese. The biggest void on the roster heading into next year was in the circle as seniors Jamie Allred and Emily Vincent graduated after leading the Cowgirls to their first NCAA regional appearance in six years.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">While the fact McNeese is becoming a player on the national softball scene certainly helped her pick the school over a number of other suitors, for Corbello there is more to this choice than the chance to succeed.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“To me it’s more about being happy, falling back in love with the game and enjoying it,” she said. “It’s cool that they have success, but at the end of the day it’s about being happy.”</span><p>Baylee Corbello (American Press Archives)</p>