Brimfield-Elmwood ‘right there’
By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post
The Brimfield-Elmwood softball team is off to a 2-1 start and, while the wins were nice, the one loss may have been even more telling for Coach Kurt Juerjens.
In addition to wins over Knoxville and Henry, B-E suffered a 2-1 loss to Stanford Olympia in the bottom of the 8th inning. That’s significant because while Olympia pitcher Danika Frazier can top 60 mph, the Lady Indians gave her a good battle.
“I thought when we played Olympia the other night we were right there. It showed we can compete with a very good team,” said Juerjens, who is in his ninth season leading the Lady Indians. “[Frazier] throws hard. They are definitely formidable.”
B-E (2-1) still fields a solid batting lineup despite losing all-stater Haley Wallace and starter Molly Malone to graduation from a team that fell to Chillicothe IVC in the regional semis last year after going 14-1.
To replace them, B-E will look to sophomore infielder Kierra Johnson (.477 batting average, .579 on-base percentage), Kate Yemm (.444, .500), Vanessa Jackson (.429, .636), senior infielder Marissa Unes (.395), sophomore infielder CJ Troxell (.364) and junior outfielder Ella Florey (.382).
Senior outfielder Lauren Troxell is also one of six returning starters for B-E, which has plenty of experience in the field despite losing outfielder Kylee Vaughn to a knee injury suffered playing basketball.
Juerjens is also encouraged by the performance of pitcher Maddie Hessing, who had a 1.34 ERA and 91 strikeouts last season and has come back stronger this spring.
“Maddie being a year older and a year stronger as a pitcher makes a big difference for us,” Juerjens said. “She’s throwing harder, but also hitting spots.”
Other pitchers include Yemm (2.8 ERA, 23 strikeouts) and freshman newcomer Brooke Sumner.
Juerjens said he expects that Illini Bluffs will be a strong local opponent this season and said ROWVA-Williamsfield also has plenty back from a supersectional qualifier last year.
Princeville
After starting last season 0-9, the Lady Princes turned things around and rode a hot streak to a regional championship and a shot at a sectional title.
Coach Brian Holt hopes to build on that momentum as his still-young team has a season of experience to draw on this spring.
“I look for this very young team to continue from last year’s late-season success,” Holt said. “We started six freshmen and one sophomore and they had a large learning curve coming into their first high school season.”
Senior Bridget Gilroy is back to handling the pitching duties after posting a 6-7 record last year and fanning 105 batters in 94 innings pitched.
“Gilroy was a catalyst for us last year as a junior and I am expecting that to continue in her senior year, as well,” Holt said.
Gilroy also batted .378 and has support in the run-scoring department from sophomore shortstop Kinley McGinn. McGinn led Princeville with a .455 average and 11 RBI after missing the first half of the season while recovering from hand surgery.
Other returning starters are senior utility player Kiara Cihla, junior right fielder Elizabeth Sutherland and sophomores McKenna Roberts (second base), Greta Dwyer (catcher), Claire Dearing (left field), Breckyn Bottenberg (pitcher/DP) and Jamey Wilson (catcher and third base).
ROWVA-Williamsfield
Beau Barnett takes over as coach of a talented Cougars team that returns eight key players from an 18-12 squad that fell to Orangeville in a supersectional last season.
Burnett was third base coach last year and has high hopes for a team he praised for its work ethic and competitive nature.
“One thing that sets these girls apart is that they really enjoy competing,” he said.
The eight varsity contributors back will have to help fill the shoes of graduated three-year starters Calyn Garza and Katelyn Aldred and two-year starter Bella Kuelper.
Top hitters back are junior first baseman Madison Nelson (.455, 20 RBI, 2 home runs), senior catcher Kat Hunt (.340, 11 RBI, 3 home runs) and senior outfielder Olivia Farquer (.304, 11 RBI).
Sophomore Ava Landon went 5-3 with 43 strikeouts last year. Senior Ashlyn Murdock was 1-1 and fanned 12 last season.
Other returning starters are seniors Jenna Woodside, Whitney Godsil and Murdock and sophomore Avery Rigg.
“The team returns eight ladies that all have had stints in the starting [lineup],’ Burnett said. “2022 is going to be an amazing year for our Cougar softball program, schools and communities.”
The first game of the spring certainly went well, with R-W routing Lowpoint-Washburn, 13-0, on March 16. Landon pitched a complete game, allowing one hit and fanning 10.
Rigg was 3-for-4 to lead a 12-hit attack for R-W, which also got two hits and a two-RBI home run from Hunt, two hits from Nelson and a triple by Jenna Woodside.
R-W lost to Erie-Prophetstown Monday, 2-1.
Farmington
The Lady Farmers return seven starters, including top hitter Alyvia Marcotte. A senior second baseman, Marcotte led Farmington by batting over .400 last season. She has support in the batting order, according to Coach Jen Fauser.
“We will look for [sophomore center fielder Emily] Vallianatos and [junior Emylee] Mahr to bring some power and the return of Reece Putrich adds even more offensive strength,” Fauser said.
Putrich is one of six seniors Fauser expects to lead the team. Others include pitcher Holly Shriber, first baseman/outfielder Kenzie Janson, utility player Mary Halcomb and Emma Evans, who will split time at catcher with Mahr after playing shortstop.
Shriber was .500 last year in her first varsity experience on the mound. Other pitchers are freshman Lydea Overcash and sophomore Jenny Nogle.
“Pitching as always will determine a lot as far as how our season goes,” Fauser said. “We have a solid core of players with some experience and mix in a few underclassmen.
“Putrich gives us options on defense, as she is very versatile. Juniors Izzy Beoletto, Addy Littrel and Alysin Eichorn will be available to help on the varsity, as will sophomore Izzy Nordwahl.”
Farmington was to start its season today.
