By Chris Parker
Stockton softball won 17 games last season, which was the most for the program since moving to the spring in 2015.
The Lady Tigers will look for even more this year with a tightknit group of six starters and eight lettermen returning and a new head coach in Ashton Roberts.
“Focus and effort is a major strength for this team, but the true strength will be the bond these girls share,” Roberts said. “They have played ball together since they were old enough to be on a field. Whether I was their youth, middle school, high school assistant coach, or just a fan, I have witnessed these girls grow up into the young ladies they are today. The relationships and trust we have all cultivated throughout the years is what is going to get us through those tough spots this season. They will always play with and for each other. I know these girls very well and they know me. I truly believe this will make my transition into the head coach role a smooth one.”
Roberts has been on staff at Stockton for the past seven years starting in the middle school and spending the past two seasons as an assistant at the high school level.
Ellie Pettit will serve as the main pitcher in her senior season.
“Ellie has been developing new pitches over the course of the year,” Roberts said. “Her ability to mix up pitches and keep hitters off balance is going to make her a threat in the circle this season.”
Classmate Nataleigh Brummet and junior Raelyn Henderson will also see time pitching as needed.
All-conference and all-district shortstop Grace Abercrombie returns to anchor the infield in her junior season. Sophomore Makinsie Griffits returns at third base.
“Both played lights out defense in our district run last season,” Roberts said. “We have some big roles to fill but have several players already working hard to fill them.”
Abercrombie was the team’s big bat last season with a team-best .487 batting average and 1.205 OPS. She drove it 24 runs and scored another 28. Griffits hit .269 last season.
Look for Megan Lee (senior) and Jozie Warner (sophomore) to see time on the infield.
Three varsity starters return in the outfield including Brummett and Sophia Yokely (junior) in the corner spots. Henderson is a returning all-state player in centerfield.
Henderson had a 1.111 OPS last season with six doubles, three triples and a team-high 42 runs scored. Yokely hit .356 with 24 runs scored. Brummett returns coming off a season where she hit .281.
Leadership will come from many different places this season.
“This year we have a mix of leaders within this junior and senior group,” Roberts said. “These girls have played a lot of ball together and their seamless efforts will be what helps take our team to the next level this season. They work together to set the tone for everyone else.”
Stockton will look to develop depth this season.
“In order to find success this year, we are going to need to add some depth to our roster,” Roberts said. “Being able to mix things up when needed and still remain strong is a goal of ours. We have several utility type players and JV girls who can step up when needed; I’d like to be able to utilize them whenever necessary. We are already putting in the work to be more explosive and disciplined offensively.”
Stockton opens the season on Mar. 22 at the Strafford Tournament.
“Coming off a heartbreaking district championship loss last season, our goal is to make it back and win. Aside from winning, my expectations for this season are for our girls to grow as young adults, overcome challenges with grace, and play the game how it’s supposed to be played while having fun doing so,” Roberts said. “We have great additions to our coaching staff this year. Camden Burns will be our assistant coach. He has got several years of experience coaching competitive teams. His most recent experience is coaching at Mission University. We are also looking forward to having Steve Ewing as a volunteer coach this season. He brings in 20-plus years of coaching. They will be huge assets to our success this season.”
