By Chris Parker
Blue Eye softball has a new head coach in Michael Horn this season. Horn has been at Blue Eye the past four seasons, but this is his first season coaching softball at any level after previously coaching baseball at several stops.
Four varsity players return from last season in seniors Angelina Bettlach and Kayla Johnson along with junior Mia Stricker and sophomore Meleah Mitchell. Ella White, Cassidy Magee and Emma Hixon return after playing JV last season.
Stricker, Mitchell and Hixon will handle pitching duties. Johnson returns behind the plate at catcher after earning all-district honors last season. Freshman Aniston Craig will be the back-up catcher.
Bettlach will anchor the field at shortstop and in the leadoff spot of the lineup. White, Magee, Molly Morgan, Hixon, Craig, Mitchell and Kinsleigh Vest are all in the mix for spots on the infield.
Stricker will be in centerfield when not pitching. She will be flanked by a combination of Hixon, Craig, Mitchell, Vest and Ella White.
Overall, the lineup could have many different formations with a flexible roster.
“I see our flexibility to be able to play so many different people at different spots along with a good balance of youth and veteran players as our biggest strength,” Horn said. “We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores who are athletic enough to move around the field, and our upperclassmen provide solid leadership to the younger kids.”
Blue Eye opens the season on Mar. 25 at Seymour.
“I want my team to be identified as a team that works very hard, hustles, and leaves everything on the field, every day. We like to call it the ‘dirtbag’ mentality. We want kids that aren’t afraid to get their uniforms dirty,” Horn said. “As far as expectations on the season, I expect that we will be able to compete in our conference and make some noise in the district. I do not like to put any numbers for wins or losses on expectations, I just want my team to go to the ballpark every day, work hard and get better, and if we do that every day then we have the potential to have a good season.”
