By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Not many programs can match the excitement surrounding Willow Springs softball, what with the Lady Bears returning seven starters from their first-ever Class 2 Final Four team from a year ago.
“Winning a district championship and advancing to the program’s first ever Final Four was huge for our program,” coach Ryan Bunch said. “(The returnees) all know what it takes to be successful and are determined to continue that success.”
Willow Springs welcomes back No. 1 pitcher Khila Smith, who was a Class 2 All-State Second-Team selection and an All-South Central Association First-Team choice. She’s fresh from posting a 9-4 W-L record with a 2.18 ERA and 62 strikeouts.
Smith will have relief help.
“Shelby Hutchings (is) someone that will get a chance in the circle, along with Kaylee Pendergrass,” Bunch said.
Smith helps herself at the plate. She hit .398 last season, with 37 RBIs and 34 runs scored.
Smith is one of five returnees who hit .300 plus a year ago.
Aleisha Shanks is moving from center field to third base. A year ago, she batted .346 with 29 RBIs, 32 runs scored and 19 stolen bases to earn All-State First-Team and All-SCA First-Team honors.
Chloe Jones will again bat leadoff and play shortstop. She hit .348 last year with 23 RBIs, 44 runs scored and 21 stolen bases.
Catcher Sophie Jackson was a ball-magnet a year ago, being hit by a pitch 17 times on her way to a .526 on-base percentage. She hit .318 with 19 RBIs.
Pendergrass will move from the outfield to first base, after hitting .308 with 25 RBIs and 21 runs scored last season.
Karis Cochran, who hit .267 last year, will move from left field to center field.
Madison Bay will move from the DH spot to a full-time job in the outfield. Last year, she batted .286 and scored 20 runs.
Hutchings, who transferred to Willow Springs this year, is expected to make an immediate impact as a utility type.
“She can play anywhere in the field,” Bunch said.
Nicole Barnett, Molly Roberts and Kristin Buster will also vie for playing time.
Willow Springs relied on pitching during its post-season run, winning games by scores of 3-1, 3-2 and 4-2. But the Lady Bears’ bats were explosive, as they showed by putting up 10 runs in a quarterfinal victory versus Houston.
On the season, Willow Springs averaged 9.8 runs a game while winning a school-record 24 games.
Bunch is hoping he has all the pieces in place for the Lady Bears to shine defensively.
“We will work hard to improve our defense,” he said. “We have a lot of players moving to different positions, so our overall team defense is what we will focus on.”
Bunch reports his players are anxious to earn all the success and accolades they achieved last year.
“We want to work harder than everybody else — work hard every day to get better,” Bunch said. “We want to compete for a conference and district title. Our overall team goal this year is to go back to the Final Four.”
Willow Springs will skip a jamboree and open its season at Dora March 24. The Lady Panthers will compete in the SCA Tournament at Mountain Grove and host their own tournament.
