By Chris Parker
Billings softball finished with an 8-11 record overall last year. The Lady Wildcats graduated three all-conference seniors from that team, which means they will be looking for new leadership this year.
“I always look to my seniors for leadership,” Billings head coach Randy Towe said. “There is nothing better than experience. We have two seniors that the young ones will look up to. Our seniors are Haili Ashley and Alyson Harter who are both outfielders.”
Ashley had a .343 on-base percentage last year with seven RBI and seven runs scored. Harter will see a bigger varsity role this year after playing in two games last year.
The pitching staff will be completely new with Cadance Daniel (junior) and Tacey Blankenship (sophomore). Daniel is a strong hitter who had 15 RBI and 12 runs scored with a .382 batting average. She earned honorable mention all-conference honors on the infield last year.
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Daniel also has catching experience, so Billings will look to develop new players for that position.
Kenzie Clendenning, Paula Culver, Daniel, Reaghan Hubert and Ryleigh Gearing are all players who could see time on the infield. Clendenning scored 12 rusn with a .360 on-base percentage last year. Gearing drew 13 walks on her way to a .412 on-base percentage in 2021.
Ashley, Harter and Gearing are the three players on the Billings roster with experience in the outfield.
“We will be very young but enthusiastic. I do feel that defense will be the biggest strength,” Towe said. “We will be very inexperienced with our pitching and catching, which are very key positions.”
Billings opens the season on Mar. 21 at home against Miller.
“This will be a season of improving as we gain experience,” Towe said. “All I ever want to do as a coach is compete.”
