By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Former Missouri State softball player Madison Orr enters her second season at the helm of the Springfield-Catholic Lady Irish softball program.
After many six- and seven-win campaigns, the Irish busted out with 13 wins last season, and Orr looks for her team to make that pivotal “next step” this spring, as the Irish return eight lettermen, five starters and three seniors.
Mental toughness is driving the motivation for a deeper postseason run, Orr said, which has served as the primary bullet point to the upcoming campaign.
“This year we are focusing more on mental toughness,” Orr said. “We did really good at the beginning, and then got to the middle of our season, and we got tired and allowed our mental game to kind of take a turn. That is going to be our number one topic this year.”
Leading the Irish this spring are returning starters Makenna Phipps (IF, OF); Averie Keeling (OF); Jalyn Smith (C); Jocee Luce (P); and infielder Taryn Stuhlsatz.
Offensively, Phipps led the team with a .411 average and a .494 on-base percentage (OBP).
Collectively, the Irish hit .318 and produced a .437 (OBP).
Both Luce and freshman Brianna Scott will hold down the circle, while Smith will command catching duties.
In 2024, Luce hurled her way to an 8-10 record, striking out 54 and authoring a 4.4 ERA.
Starting seniors include Phipps, Lauren Micka and Addy Cronkhite.
Going from the lower half to the upper echelon in terms of winning percentage, last year offered a glimpse into what the future could hold for the Irish.
Orr is someone who knows a thing or two about the mental art of the game, as she suited up for Missouri State for three years and learned from one of the best in former head coach Holly Hesse, who retired last year.
“I look at Holly as a mentor. To this day, I still go to [her],” Orr said. “Everything I have learned from Holly I have taken over to Catholic.”
One of those intangibles is getting the most out of her players, which was evident during last year’s 13-win season.
For the Irish, it is a brick-by-brick mantra.
“The previous years, their career highest [wins] were six or seven games, right off the bat we won 13. What we really took in from last year is knowing that we can be good. When we came in, we had a group of girls whose confidence was really low,” Orr said.
The proverbial first brick has been established, and Orr wants to add another layer to the foundation this spring, which begins with the preseason jamboree, where the girls finally can take to the diamond against someone other than their own teammates.
The Irish are slated for a March 17 scrimmage at Mount Vernon, where they will face the host and Marionville, with possibly one other team joining, TBA.
First pitch is 4 p.m.
The team lost four to graduation, so having a balanced roster from freshmen to seniors is a luxury Orr appreciates.
Phipps will serve as the field general this season.
“Makenna is our go-to senior,” Orr said. “She is truly a softball girl. She has the passion and drive and wants to go play somewhere after this.”
Phipps played first base last year but Orr said she is finding her other niche roaming the outfield.
“She is going to be our true utility player,” Orr said. “Everyone looks up to her; she is a true leader.”
Other players to watch this season is junior Averie Keeling (OF), who is in line to captain the outfield as the centerfielder; Smith, Luce and Stuhlsatz.
“She has incredible range and can see the ball really quickly,” Orr said of Keeling.
The regular season commences March 24-26 as the Irish travel to the Mount Vernon Tournament.
The home opener is March 31 as the Irish host New Heights Christian Academy with McAuley Catholic.
