By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Glendale High School softball team may be young, but they won’t be backing down from anyone. Not after the last two years.
Glendale’s on the rise as one of the area’s most improved programs. With success comes new standards and confidence.
“We will be a very young group as a whole, but with that said, we have some special leadership in our senior and junior classes,” said Falcons coach Jeff Mason. “These girls have helped transform a waning program with little respect locally into a second-place finisher in the Ozark Conference last season.
“We plan on building on (our) success without taking steps backwards. These girls have the ability to compete for a conference championship and inch ever closer to a 20-win season with more postseason success being a major team goal.”
Coming off their first winning season in a long time, the Falcons are primed to contend in the Ozark Conference and districts.
Glendale’s lineup includes three seniors in infielder Emily Phillips, first baseman Kayla Craft and outfielder Bailey Heinrichs.
Phillips is one of Glendale’s top bats. She hit .391 with a .470 on-base percentage last season.
“She’s an exceptional leader with a great spirit for the game,” Mason said.
Craft is a former outfielder who switched to the infield this summer.
“She is a tremendous leader that has helped instrumentally in changing the softball culture at Glendale since she joined us freshman year,” Mason said.
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Heinrichs joined the team last season and continues to show steady improvement.
“She’s made great strides in transforming herself into a softball player,” Mason said. “She helped us in the outfield last year and is becoming a solid contact hitter with some speed on the base paths and in the outfield.”
Junior Anna Sallee is one of the top athletes on the team.
“She’s becoming a confident hitter and fielder with the ability to be a game changer on the base paths and outfield due to her (speed),” Mason said.
Glendale returns four sophomores who all had significant playing time as freshmen.
Sophomore Karsyn Phillips is a rising star. As a freshman, she hit .439 with 33 RBIs and 37 runs. Phillips also delivered a game-changing homer in Glendale’s district win over Branson.
She’s set to take over at shortstop for her older sister, Kyndall, who graduated.
“(Karsyn) has very few holes in her game offensively or defensively,” Mason said.
Megan Bredehoeft became Glendale’s primary catcher as a freshman. She provides versatility, too.
“She has the ability and arm to help us at multiple positions this season,” Mason said. “She is a great athlete who is finding her swing and has tremendous upside. She’s an incredibly hard worker with the passion and desire to be special.”
Meegan Randall brings a strong defensive presence in the outfield.
“She has the ability to get great jumps off the bat and is a diving machine,” Mason said. “She transformed our outfield as a freshman and (also) made great strides at the plate as the season progressed.”
Brenna Tarter filled a utility role as a freshman. She’ll see time behind the plate along with more utility duties this season.
“(Brenna’s) an overall ballplayer that can help us on defense and offense,” Mason said. “She’s a great energy girl that helps fire up the dugout every single game!”
Mason, who took over the program in 2016, has helped the Falcons improve each season.
Glendale won three games – combined – in 2016 and 2017, before breaking out in 2018 and finishing 10-13 overall.
The Falcons finished 16-13 overall last season, marking their first winning season in over 10 years. Glendale, which finished second in the Ozark Conference, also beat Branson in districts for the second straight season.
“Our departed seniors and current upperclassmen have worked incredibly hard in the offseason in each of the past four seasons to help transform a program that was as low as it could get,” Mason said. “They have transformed a culture and have once again made Glendale Softball a program to respect in the area.
“Our coaching staff couldn’t be more proud of these girls for putting in the effort, time and energy to rebuild a program back into a competitor.”
Glendale graduated a three-player senior class in shortstop Kyndall Phillips, outfielder Madi Marsh and first baseman Trinity Zachary.
Kyndall Phillips and Marsh were all-conference selections, with the former also earning all-region honors.
“Kyndall was our top defensive player at shortstop,” Mason said. “Madi was a great leader and teammate.”
The Falcons will also be without a key piece in junior pitcher Riley King, who suffered a season-ending injury in the offseason.
King, a two-year starter, holds program records for home runs (seven), RBIs (49), batting average (.522) and slugging percentage (1.094). As a pitcher last season, she recorded 127 strikeouts and a 2.8 ERA while earning first team all-conference and second team all-region honors.
“Filling the shoes of Riley King and our departed seniors will be a huge challenge, but our coaching staff firmly believes these girls are up for the task,” Mason said.
An influx of young talent will fill out Glendale’s roster.
Sophomore twins Izzy and Maddy Eddy will look to contribute with their bat and glove, respectively.
“Izzy has put in the work to become a solid contact hitter with the ability for some power,” Mason said. “Her bat will be giving her plenty of opportunities to compete at the varsity level. Maddy has a great glove for a middle infielder and that skill set will give her opportunities for playing time as well.”
Multiple players from a strong freshmen class will likely see signification playing time.
Jeri Ray is in line to become Glendale’s starting pitcher after King’s season-ending injury. Ray could also play at second base when she’s not pitching.
“She’s a great locational pitcher and can attack hitters with multiple pitches,” Mason said.
Alli Norris will also see time in the circle along with outfield duties. She’ll already be one of the top athletes on the team.
“Alli is an athlete through and through,” Mason said. “She is lightning fast with the ability for some power at the plate.”
Fellow freshmen Sam Caldwell (OF) and Madison Owrey (C/UTL) give Glendale more enticing options for the present and future.
“Sam’s an exceptional outfielder for her age with blazing speed. She has the ability to be a special high school player before it’s all said and done,” Mason said. “Madi has the ability for some power with the bat and has a good overall feel for the game for her age, which allows allowing her the chance to compete at multiple positions.”
While Glendale’s young, the Falcons will have speed to burn this season.
“We will be especially young in the pitching circle, however, these young ladies have fabulous potential,” Mason said. “This group will have serious speed and should be able to play some plus-defense when everything gets put together.”
Mason said the Falcons resumed practices (with restrictions) in June and played local teams a few weeks later.
“The players have done a great job in the weight room, at practices and in the limited games we were allowed to play,” he said. “They have put in a tremendous amount of work this summer given the challenging circumstances.”
Glendale open the regular season August 29 in a home doubleheader against Nixa and Joplin.
