BY KALEB CAUSEY
Erin and Alayna Kipp await the start of a game with their teammates.
Erin and Alayna Kipp are two sisters that have been playing softball with each other since they were small children, and now, they both play collegiately for the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters.
Erin is a sophomore and plays outfield and pitches. Alayna is a freshman and plays catcher.
Erin said she and her sister struggled a lot when they weren’t on the same team.
“We were always on the same team with our dad coaching,” Erin said. “For one year we were on different teams, and we didn’t like it at all. It was really hard on our parents because we had to share them unless we were playing each other.”
Sarah Dawson, Lady Techster’s head coach, said they have an interesting connection on and off the field.
“They’ve always been pretty close, especially when Erin is pitching to Alayna,” Dawson said. “When we’re off the field, they’re always together at the dinner table on road games or in the dugout.”
Erin said she really enjoys the bond she shares with her sister on the field and off.
“I love when she’s catching for me,” Erin said. “It’s really different when we’re not paired up like that.”
Dawson said recruiting the two sisters came pretty easily after she discovered Erin’s pitching talents.
“We were looking for a pitcher that year and Erin fit what we were looking for,” Dawson said. “We knew that the two of them wanted to go to school together and it just so happened that we needed a catcher for the next year, so it worked out pretty well.”
Alayna said when her sister visited Tech, she loved it. When Alayna saw that excitement from Erin, she knew Tech was where she wanted to go too.
Both sisters said they benefit more than just off the field with having their sibling around.
“She’s always there for me if I’m having a problem,” Alayna said. “It’s really helped a lot, especially when our parents aren’t around to give us advice.”
Erin said she really enjoys sharing the success and experiences with her sister.
“It’s been a really great experience getting to travel and succeed with her,” Erin said. “I can always talk to her when I’m struggling and in a slump.”
Dawson said this isn’t the first time the Lady Techsters have featured sisters on their roster.
“Last year we had Cassie and Meghan Krieg,” Dawson said. “I noticed the same connection between those two. Both sets of sisters are always challenging each other during practice and games.”
Cassie still plays softball for Dawson and her sister graduated last year. Meghan was an all-WAC pitcher for the Techsters.
Erin and Alayna both said they always wanted to play softball together at the college level and were only going to go to a school that would have both of them.
“We always wanted to play together and finish together,” Alayna said.
latechsoftball 