By Chris Parker
Fordland softball is looking for a winning season for the first time in a decade with a roster full of players who have experience playing softball from middle school through high school for the first time.
“This is the first year all four years of kids have had experience in our middle school program,” Fordland head coach Joshua Smith said. “We started it six years ago and hopefully we will see it start to pay off. It is hard to teach a freshman to throw, hit, catch, etc. 14 is just too late of an age to start with fundamentals for most kids. This group is collectively the most talented we have had in the last 10 years of Fordland Softball. The addition of the middle school program is the best thing we ever did for Fordland Softball.”
Everything will start with all-district senior pitcher Tessa Feeback.
“Our team leader will be senior Tessa Feeback,” Smith said. “Tessa is my pitcher and has worked very hard this offseason in the weight room and in the bullpen building endurance.”
She threw 75 innings with 71 strikeouts last year.
Sophomores Lexis Friesen and Riley Rippee, junior Shelby Rowan, and freshmen Justine Justice and Miranda Johns all could fill innings in the circle if needed.
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Friesen will mostly play shortstop. She was a first-team all-district selection last year with a .509 on-base percentage to go with 14 RBI and 17 runs scored.
Mikah Suter, Audrie Buckert and Aubrey Huskey will also help on the infield. Suter scored 15 runs and drove in 14 more with a .510 on-base percentage.
Emma Trotter and Rippee will step up in the outfield. Trotter led the team in hitting last year with a .518 batting average. Junior Shelby Rowan is a move-in from Rogersville who will help in the outfield or at first base.
Freshmen Justine Justice, Miranda Johns, Lilly Kindall, Bailey Cook, and Britton Suter will be looking for varsity playing time.
Junior Hannah Brock, sophomores Shelby Thomason, Meghan Greeson, Austyn Lakey, and Destiny Day along with freshman Macy Greeson and Scarlet Gilchrist will also look for playing time.
“Finishing strong will be this year’s motto. We need to be able to not only get the lead, but to hold it and build on it the whole game,” Smith said. “It has been 10 years since Fordland Softball has been over .500. I feel like this is a good year for that to happen. If our district is similarly seeded, we should be in good shape to make a deep run.”
Fordland opens the season Mar. 18-19 at the Summit Conference Tournament.
