By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
With eight starters lost from last season’s 9-17 bunch, Hillcrest coach Mike Runnels isn’t expecting Hillcrest’s new crop of starters to come out of the gate playing their best ball.
“I knew going into last year that we would be losing a lot of girls to graduation,” Runnels said. “You don’t want to think about that at the time. My focus was on last year. Once we lost to Reeds Spring (in a Class 3 District 11 semifinal), then my focus was on getting the kids ready for this year.
“We’re going to have to be patient, just like anybody would be for girls jumping into varsity competition for the first time,” he added. “There will be some growing pains. But I expect us to compete and by the end of the year be pretty good.”
The Lady Hornets didn’t play any games over the summer, sticking to practices instead. Runnels was pleased with his players’ response.
“COVID was hard on us this summer,” Runnels said. “We had some restrictions placed on us. We had open-field workouts and had very good numbers show up, which was promising. Also, they are committed and dedicated. They’re wanting to learn.”
Hillcrest will build around an experienced pitcher. Senior Halle Pyle enters her third year as the Lady Hornets’ starter in the center circle. Pyle threw 96.2 innings last season while striking out 81 and posting a 3.70 ERA. Two years ago, she pitched 134 innings and had a 3.44 ERA.
Runnels likes Pyle’s mental makeup.
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“The good thing about her is she’s going to do what she can do and not get down on herself,” Runnels said. “She has the ability to bear down and have command of the strike zone. She can get a strikeout, if needed. But she’s a contact pitcher who relies on her defense.”
Backing up Pyle will be infielders Madeline Summers and Sara Wilkinson, outfielders Maddie Wilkinson, Miquela Ewald and Lauren Jackson and catcher Makayla DeLoach.
They’ve all had very limited experience at the varsity level. DeLoach, who hit .231 in 13 at-bats last season, is Hillcrest’s most experienced player other than Pyle.
Sara Wilkinson also pitches and may earn her way into a starting role.
“She’s going to push Halle and may beat her out at some point this year,” Runnels said.
With his players exhibiting positive attitudes, Runnels is looking forward to working with them.
“They’re good kids. They don’t think they’re too good for you or the game,” he said. “They have made my job very enjoyable. It’s like the old adage says, ‘I’ll take good kids over talent.’ It’s not going to be about wins and losses for us. It’s going to be about what did the girls learn and did they enjoy playing. I think if we do that, winning will take care of itself.”
