By Chris Parker
Hillcrest softball returns four players who started every game for last year’s four-win team and three more players who started at least five games.
Those four returning full-time starters will be key for Hillcrest this year.
“I look for seniors Brooklyn Bright and Jayla Coffelt along with junior Caylee Davis and sophomore Mya Frillman to step up this year and lead our team,” Hillcrest head coach Mike Runnels said. “All four of them started every game last year for me. I am hoping their experience rubs off on those who are less experienced. They know what it takes to get the job done on and off the field.”
Davis will be in the circle pitching along with freshman Camryn Summers.
“I expect Junior Caylee Davis to take the reins and pitch the majority of my innings this year,” Runnels said. “Freshman Camryn Summers will get some time in the circle as well. When both are trusting their defense they are at their best. Neither will overpower anyone, but when they are hitting their spots they are tough to square up.”
Coffelt, Davis and Frillman will be on the infield along with Summers. Senior Kaitlyn Owens and junior Renae Howell will push for playing time on the infield as well.
Sophomore Ish Martinez will likely catch a majority of the innings, but catcher is another spot Summers could find some innings.
The outfield will feature juniors Caylee Jasper and Shelby Epperly along with Summers.
“My entire group of kids impressed me this summer,” Runnels said. “I have had good numbers at morning workouts when our kids could have made an excuse on why they couldn’t attend. Getting up early to get in the work necessary to get better has really shown me how bad this group wants to be successful.”
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The drive to improve will be a strength for Hillcrest while the team tries to build confidence.
“The biggest strength for my team this year is a desire to get better day in a day out. This group is one of the closet knit teams I have had during my time at Hillcrest, and I look for that team’s camaraderie to be a strength of my team,” Runnels said. “One area that we have to get better in is the area of confidence. We need to know that we can compete with anyone on our schedule and understand that, at times, things are not going to go our way. Last year we would let one mistake turn into two that would soon become three. These mistakes would take us out of games, and we would defeat ourselves internally. I have preached this offseason that softball is a game of failure and how you handle the failure will ultimately determine our success.”
Hillcrest will host a jamboree on Aug. 19 with Reeds Spring, Halfway and Norwood. The Lady Hornets open the regular season at the Kickoff Classic on Aug. 26-27.
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“My overall expectation this year is to compete day in and day out,” Runnels said. “I am not looking for a magic number in the win column to make our season a success, but I am ultimately looking for growth from the start to the end of the season. My schedule matches up against anyone in the area in terms of strength, which is by design. Due to our schedule, I expect us to be playing some of our best ball come district play, and hopefully, we can surprise some people along the way.”
