By Chris Parker
Hermitage softball fell just short of the .500 mark last year going 9-11 overall. The Lady Hornets are poised to climb above that mark this year with an experienced team returning.
Seniors Chelsi Horn (shortstop/catcher) and Paris Yates (center fielder) will be the team leaders. Both earned all-district honors last year. Yates was named second-team all-region in the outfield after she hit .452 with 21 stolen bases. Horn hit .480 with 29 RBI and 4 home runs
Sophomore Izzy Sabala returns to the circle at pitcher after she earned all-district honors last year. She hit .477 with 18 RBI at the plate while going 8-9 in the circle.
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“Izzy throws strikes, throws hard and is learning new pitches,” Hermitage head coach Shane Salmon said.
Freshman Chloe Friedman will also see time at catcher with Horn.
The infield will feature senior Hannah Willhite and freshman Makenna Kobe at first base, sophomore Kaity Whiteside and freshman Chloe Friedman at second base, Horn and junior Taylor Copeland at shortstop and junior Grace Newman at third base.
Meagan Nickerson (junior) and Madison Harris (freshman) will compete for time in left field. Yates will be in center. Freshman Taylor Holman and Hailey Harris will be battling for time in right field.
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“We are a good hitting team. We have girls that can slap and get on base and have several girls that can hit with power. We should be able to score a lot of runs this year,” Salmon said. “Our fielding just needs to be more consistent this year. We need to just make the routine plays without errors and do a better job limiting other teams running game.”
Hermitage opens the season Aug. 27-28 at the Morrisville Tournament.
“I expect to very competitive with all the team we play and challenge for a district title,” Salmon said.
