Fair Play softball must replace all-state pitcher Chyler Welch if the Hornets are to improve upon last year’s five-win campaign.
Junior Meghan Hoxie will be stepping into the circle at pitcher in Welch’s place.
“We need her (Hoxie) to be able to throw strikes and let the defense work behind her. She has worked on upper body strength this summer so hoping that will help her with the heavy workload of the season,” Fair Play head coach Alicia Mercer said.
Senior third baseman Jaden Dollar will be a key leader for Fair Play.
“We need to her to step and be consistent for us this year in the batter’s box and in the field,” Mercer said.
The catcher position has seen a lot of different looks over the summer with sophomore Ashlynne Kirksey and freshman Alexis Francka appearing as frontrunners for the position.
Positions around the rest of the field are wide open.
“We lost key positions so we are asking some girls to play in positions they are not used to playing. Our goal is to find the right people for the right spot,” Mercer said.
Sophomore Anna Grove is a versatile player that could fit most anywhere. She played center field last year but played shortstop over the summer.
However the lineup shakes out, a cohesive team working together will be key for success.
“Our strength is that we know we need everyone to be successful so there this group is awesome at lifting each other up and being supportive in success but also when mistakes are made,” Mercer said. “We need confidence. They are a group of girls that have the potential to do great things, but sometimes we just don’t believe we can. We need to find that mental toughness that makes us competitive until the end.”
Fair Play will travel to Hermitage for a jamboree on Aug. 24. The Hornets open the season on Aug. 27-28 at the Humansville Softball Tournament.
“I feel like we will struggle to find ourselves early on but I think we can overcome that quickly,” Mercer said. “We need to be consistent to be competitive and win games.”
