By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Bolivar softball underwent a bit of a rebuild in 2022.
The Liberators finished with a 9-19 record, falling to Webb City in the district tournament.
“The biggest take away from our 2022 season was culture,” head coach Kenyon Breedlove said. “We spent a lot of time building and molding the culture of our team and program. We return all but two of our players from last year. This should be a big benefit to our program.”
Heading into his second season at the helm, Breedlove is optimistic with his program’s returning core.
“We have a lot of players returning with varsity experience,” Breedlove said. “This will be the biggest change from the ‘22 season to this year. Players who earned postseason and conference honors include: Kacee Jenkins (3B/C), Carly Cribbs (SS), Hailey Hale (1B) and Makayla Methvin (P).”
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Breedlove also anticipates a host of varsity newcomers competing for playing time, including Brooklyn Hamilton, Josie Maze and Novalee Hendrickson.
“Brooklyn has a chance to hit in the middle of our order and we will rely on her to drive in runs for us this year,” Breedlove said. “Josie brings a lot of speed to our team and will have a huge impact in the outfield. Novalee will bring some help in the circle this year. Makayla Methvin did great for us last year and we are glad to have someone to share the load.”
With plenty of experienced returnees in the lineup, Breedlove believes his team is ready to take a big step forward this season.
“We expect a few more marks in the win column, but more importantly, we have a great opportunity to grow our culture even further,” Breedlove said.
Bolivar opens its regular season Aug. 25 in the Morrisville Tournament.
