MYAKKA CITY, FL (WSIL) -- SIU's Jenny Jansen is taking advantage of a great opportunity, competing in the Florida Gulf Coast League. Some of the nations top softball players. She's currently fifth in the league in batting average. She's happy to put on a uniform and be back on the field.
"It just feels natural," Jansen said. "Sometimes you're worried you are going to forget everything you ever knew but that's definitely not the case and we obviously eased right back into it."
SIU's Jenny Jansen has made herself at home in the Florida Gulf Coast League. She's off to a fast 6-for-12 start at the plate.
"I think down here, there's not a whole lot of pressure. Obviously you want to be competitive and win but you don't have scouting reports, you don't have team stats, you just pretty much go out and play every day and every day I've been going out and trying to have fun and I think that is why I have been so successful over the last couple games."
The Myakka City RiverMocs are off to a 4-0 start and Jansen enjoys playing for the Mocs Head Coach, Michaela Transue, a volunteer assistant coach at Mizzou.
"She's really knowledgeable on hitting so every day we go and hit and she has new tips for us to try. She teaches very similar to Jen Sewell and for me that was a really nice transition and I think that with her in charge, she has created this environment for us to have a lot of fun and also be competitive at the same time and I think that is what has been the main factor in our success so far."
The Saluki senior had a pair of hits on opening night and delivered by driving in the go-ahead run.
"The first game I was really nervous. I'm a really nervous player, I was trying to have fun but when you haven't played in two or three months it is a scary thing to go back out there again and after the first game, I felt like a weight was off my shoulders and felt the rest of the summer wsa going to be good if I just play loose and free."
The games are live streamed and has been receiving a lot of attention on social media.
"I don't want to say the pandemic has helped but with other sports shut down it has drawn a lot of attention from people. The pandemic is horrible but for this league it might have helped it because there is nothing else to watch and everyone is so interested in watching live sports and when they watch they get to see how competitive softball is and I think that is an eyeopener for a lot of people."
I know what you're thinking, we're in a pandemic, but Jenny and the league's athletes are doing their best to stay safe.
"The bleachers are open but have certain sections roped off, they've been taking temperatures everyday, we don't high five after games, we just wave at the other team and say good game across the field so I think they are doing what they can."
