EMCC’s Gail Wisher earns All-MACCC honorable mention softball honors

JACKSON, Miss. – East Mississippi Community College sophomore pitcher/infielder Gail Wisher has received All-MACCC honorable mention recognition for her efforts in the circle this softball season. As announced Thursday by the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC), first-team, second-team and honorable mention softball accolades were awarded across the league.

A product of Alma Bryant High School in Irvington, Alabama, Gail Wisher became the first EMCC softball pitcher since 2014 to reach double-digit wins in a season with a 10-12 record and 3.39 earned run average for head coach Mackenzie Byrd's 2025 EMCC Lions. Wisher ranks sixth this season among conference leaders with the most strikeouts (137) thrown by an EMCC pitcher in a single season since EMCC Sports Hall of Fame member Courtney Nunn reached the century mark during the 2009 and 2010 seasons with 156 and 217 strikeouts, respectively.

Wisher capped this past regular season throwing consecutive pitching gems versus Mississippi Delta and Southwest Mississippi to close out the month of April. After facing just one Delta batter over the minimum during a two-hit, seven-strikeout 5-0 shutout over the Lady Trojans, she followed up three days later with a masterful one-hit, eight-strikeout 4-0 blanking of Southwest. On the heels of facing just two Lady Bear batters over the minimum in the opening game, Wisher returned to the circle in the nightcap to throw four more innings to finish off her gutsy 140-pitch afternoon and help lead the Lions to the doubleheader sweep. The pair of home wins over SMCC to close out the regular season secured the Lions' first postseason playoff appearance in eight years.   

In addition to posting 15 complete games with four shutouts in the circle and limiting the opposition to a composite .244 batting average on the season, Wisher officially batted .278 as a sophomore, including a team-leading 12 doubles, with 28 runs scored and 19 runs batted in.

As a two-year starter either in the circle or primarily at shortstop when not pitching for the Lions, Wisher batted .296, including 25 extra-base hits, with 56 runs scored and 46 RBIs during her 83-game EMCC career. As a freshman, Wisher hit .307 with 11 extra-base hits, 25 runs scored and 22 RBIs playing mostly at shortstop with only six pitching appearances on the year.

Wisher was a two-time Class 7A All-County high school selection at Alma Bryant along with her twin sister and EMCC teammate, Karen, who was named 2024 All-MACCC Second Team as a freshman for the Lions. The sisters were also co-recipients of the Hurricanes' prestigious 2023 Frank Menton Athletic Award.

The 14-member first and second teams of this year's All-MACCC Softball Team were comprised of four outfielders, four infielders, three pitchers, two catchers, and one designated player.

Individual conference honors for the 2025 softball season were awarded to Makynlie Jones of NJCAA Region 23 champion Jones College for MACCC Player of the Year as well as to Emily Richarde of NJCAA Region 23 runner-up Copiah-Lincoln for MACCC Pitcher of the Year.