By Chris Parker
Hartville softball went 16-10 on the way to a Summit Conference title last year.
Five starters from that team graduated including Zoey Jordan, Rami Murr, McKinley Sanders, Centauri Todd and Allexus Walker. All five earned post-season honors of some sort. Also gone are Jolina Bettendorf and Ariaunna Wood.
Five other starters return this year. Four of them are seniors in Molly Brown, Emilee Coday, Emma Cook and Breyanna Flachsmann. Junior Jenna Kelley rounds out the returning starters. Cook (honorable mention all-conference), Flachsmann (first-team all-conference) and Kelley (first-team all-conference) all earned post-season honors last year.
“Their best attributes as a group is their experience. They have all started since I have been here (this is my third fall). They know what the expectations are and I look forward to seeing them make that step forward to being the team leaders,” Hartville head coach Andrew Doyle said. “Individually they all bring something different to this team, from being the one that keeps everyone in check, being the hustler and hardest worker, being willing to play anywhere on field, being the vocal leader, or the quiet, calm one letting their play speak for itself.”
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Pitching will be a work-in-progress early on as Doyle tries to find the correct fit.
“We will be replacing our pitcher from the last two years, Rami Murr. I have four that have pitched this spring and summer, but no one has separated themselves and taken control of that starting spot,” Doyle said. “Senior Breyanna Flachsmann, junior Reinah Coryell, sophomore Riley Boyd, and incoming freshman Ella Fairchild all have a chance to get innings for us this fall.”
Cook and freshman Brielle Kline will be in the mix for time at catcher.
The infield and outfield are wide open competitions.
“Nothing set in stone and it may be a few games, if it happens at all, before we have a set lineup. I am a big believer of competition, and I always want these girls to be pushing each other for that starting job but also realizing everyone plays a role for this team, whether you start or not. I tell them every day, the only way to guarantee your name is in the lineup is to be able to hit offensively,” Doyle said.
Brown, Coday, Flachsmann, Coryell, Erin Still (junior), Haley Parker (sophomore) and Katia Todd (sophomore) are all in the mix on the infield. Cook, Kelley, Ella Boyer (junior), Taryn Flachsmann (junior) and Brooklyn Kline (junior) are all candidates to play in the outfield.
“Our team speed and athleticism should be our biggest team strength,” Doyle said. “We need improve on how we handle adversity. We graduated half of the starting line-up from last fall, so we will be having new faces and the others, in new places. With that being the case there will be some growing pains, and what is yet to be answered is how they will handle the ups and downs of a season.”
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Hartville travels to Nixa for a jamboree on Aug. 19 before opening the regular season Aug. 26-27 at the Morrisville Tournament.
“We want to continue to work hard and improve each game,” Doyle said. “Last season we played extremely well in the month of September. This year we hope to push that back and be playing our best softball in October when districts start.”
