By Matt Turer — mturer@ky3.com
@MattTurer
There’s every reason for excitement inside Logan-Rogersville’s softball program. The Wildcats finished a win short of a district championship and bring back every single member of that roster for 2017.
On their way to that district championship loss to West Plains came a COC-Small title. The 2016 Wildcats finished 5-0 in-conference and 17-9 overall.
This lineup will again be sparked by Hailey Brown. Brown, now a senior, received a second consecutive Class 3 All-State selection in 2016 after finishing with a .516 average, 31 steals, 37 runs and even a pair of home runs. Last year was the second consecutive season that Brown hit above .500, and she’s now stolen 57 bases over the past two seasons. On top of that, she’s a gold-glove worthy centerfielder.
Behind Brown is a lineup that hit .334 as a team in 2016 and will have only gotten better.
Shelby Ince (C/SS) was second on the Wildcats with a .457 average (as a freshman!), knocking out three homers, driving in 32 runs and swiping 11 bags on her way to an all-region selection. Then there’s Hunter Bledsoe. Her .394 average was third on the team, but her main impact is on the mound.
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Bledsoe was Rogersville’s No. 1 as a junior in 2016, finishing 10-5 with a 3.59 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 88 strikeouts in 85.1 innings. Senior Julia Marshall will also pitch. Marshall was 6-3 with a 6.65 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 50 innings last year. Marshall, an all-district selection, also plays outfield and first base. She hit .311 with a pair of home runs last year.
“We are expecting a promising 2017 season,” Rogersville head coach Denny McHenry said. “We should be balanced in our starting lineup with seniors, juniors and sophomores.”
Other key names back are senior Lori Vedder (1B/3B), senior Kylie Eakins (1B), junior Lindsay Schatzer (LF) and junior Taylor Williams (2B). Vedder and Schatzer both hit over .300 last season.
Senior Brianna Banker (OF), senior Jadyn Bond (C), senior Emma Tracy (OF), junior Hannah Shirley (OF), sophomore Angie Coambes (SS) and sophomore Paige Leithead (P/3B/1B) will be valuable off the bench, McHenry said.
“Hannah, Angie and Paige have had great summer and will push for full-time positions,” McHenry said.
Coambes showed promise as a freshman, hitting .350 in 20 at-bat
