By Chris Parker
Halfway softball has posted back-to-back 15-win seasons. This year the Lady Cardinals will look for a deep post-season run with a strong senior group and eight total returning starters leading the way.
“We have five seniors of which most of them have started their entire high school career in some form or another,” Halfway head coach Eric Ingram said. “Having that number of seniors with that much experience it is our hope that they provide leadership throughout the course of this season.”
Returning to the circle will be junior Elavia Sharp. Sharp has started at pitcher each of her first two years. Last year she was named first-team all-conference and second-team all-region. She struck out 97 in her 95 innings in the circle pitching. At the plate, she hit .343 with 32 runs scored.
Her sophomore sister Jaka Sharp will also see some time pitching. Sophomore Annabelle Ingram will be behind the plate for the Sharp sisters. She was second-team all-conference and all-region last year after hitting .322 with 19 runs scored.
Around the infield you will find Kendall Morris (senior first base), Maddie Payne (senior shortstop), Hannah Farmer (senior third base) and Jaka Sharp (second base). Sammi Gallivan (sophomore) could also find time at second base. Morris, a first-team all-conference and second-team all-region selection last year, will be a four-year starter. She had a team-high .429 batting average with 30 RBI and 27 runs scored. Her on-base percentage was at .505. Payne earned second-team all-conference honors on the infield last year. It was her first season out in the field after being behind the plate at catcher to start her career. She scored 28 runs with a .290 batting average.
CLICK HERE FOR LINKS TO ALL OF THE FALL PREVIEWS
In the outfield, seniors Madison Higginbotham and Hannah Wolford return. Higginbotham earned first-team all-conference and second-team all-region honors last year. She hit .349 with a team-high 34 runs scored and 28 RBI. Hallie Rovenstine, Klarissa McClellend and Gallivan are all competing to fill out that final spot in the outfield.
Freshmen Olivia Johnson and Maycee Payne could also see some innings this year.
“We have eight returning starters. There’s a strong nucleus among these girls both defensively and offensively. One through nine, this may be the strongest offensive lineup I have had in 15 years as a coach,” Ingram said. “We will have an experienced pitching staff led by Elavia who has two years of varsity action under her belt. With eight returning starters that also means they have action in the field and we should be a very solid defensive team.”
Ingram will task his experienced squad with focusing on playing a complete game from start to finish.
“We can look back over the past couple years and say we lost that game because of the third inning or that game because of the fifth inning. We need to make sure that we stay focused and play a complete seven-inning ball game every night,” Ingram said.
Halfway will begin its quest for a deep post-season run starting on Aug. 29 at its home tournament.
“Our seniors won a district title as a freshman group. Last year we lost the district title 4-3. We know that we are capable of winning another district title and making a playoff run,” Ingram said. “This will be our goal is that we compete for a conference and district championship and try to make a playoff run.”
