By Chris Parker
Willow Springs softball graduated just one senior from last year’s team that finished 5-19. The Lady Bears will still be young this year with just two seniors on the roster.
Those seniors are Eileshia Tinsley (catcher) and Chloe Chafin (middle infield). Tinsley hit .467 with 7 doubles and 16 RBI.
“She (Tinsley) led the team in batting average and RBI. Eileshia has a good feel for the game and she is the leader on the field behind the plate. She has a strong arm behind the plate and plays the game as hard as anyone I have ever coached,” Willow Springs head coach Ryan Bunch said.
Chafin hit .419 with 5 RBI and 9 stolen bases in just 11 games due to injury.
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The junior trio of Rylee Scarbrough (shortstop), Anna Minge (center field) and Stacie Johnson (second base) give Willow Springs three more upperclassmen to lean on. Scarbrough hit .283 with 15 runs and 9 steals last year. Minge hit .339 with 21 runs scored and 14 stolen bases. Johnson was arguable Willow Springs’ top player this past summer according to Bunch.
Sophomores Madelyn Fair (first base), Emma Spence (pitcher) and Emma Roberts (third base) are underclassmen who will have an impact. Fair hit .308 with 6 RBI in just 11 games last year. Spence went 5-1 in the circle this summer. Roberts scored 8 runs and drove in 8 more runs with 4 doubles last year.
“We worked really hard this summer on our team defense. Our defense was probably our weakness last season and the girls did a good job this summer getting better defensively,” Bunch said. “One of our team strengths is team speed. We will look to take the extra base, hit and run, and steal bases.”
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Willow Springs opens the season on Aug. 27-28 at the Morrisville Tournament.
“Our goals don’t change much from year to year,” Bunch said. “We always want to work hard to get better each and every day so that we are playing our best softball when districts roll around. We want to compete for a district title.”
