By Chris Parker
Jasper will look to get back to the state softball final four after a one-year hiatus with seven starters returning from last season’s 18-win team.
Seniors will make this team go.
“We will look to all of our seniors for leadership this year,” Jasper head coach Justin Sentlinger said. “This senior class has had more success than any other class in Jasper sports history. They have been to three Final 4’s between softball and volleyball, and right now they are competing for a conference championship in basketball. They are a truly talented bunch of young ladies. We will rely heavily on the leadership of Emersyn Bass and Shiloh Storm. Both of these ladies have been varsity starters since they were freshmen, and we will rely on their experience to get us going.”
Storm returns to the circle at pitcher after earning all-conference, all-district and all-region honors last season. She threw 136.1 innings with 107 strikeouts and a 4.87 ERA.
Juniors Chloe Storm and Aspen Lehman along with freshman Natalie Storm could also see time in the circle.
Jasper will have a new catcher this season in either junior Alivea Roberts or Natalie Storm.
On the infield, Bass returns to first base as an all-state, all-region, all-district and all-conference selection. She hit .580 with 1.421 OPS last season. She led the team with 11 doubles, 46 runs scored and 34 runs batted in.
Lehman will be at shortstop. She hit .236 last season with 20 RBI and 13 runs scored.
Crystal Smith, Paige Sentlinger, Chloe Storm and Kiley Helms could all see infield time as well. Smith, who is a multi-time state champion on the track, had a 1.231 OPS last season with a team-high five home runs.
In the outfield, senior Addie Atnip, Roberts, Smith and Chloe Storm are options. Atnip posted a .391 batting average and 1.027 OPS with 12 RBI and 23 runs scored.
However the lineup lands, there will be experience all over the field.
“Experience is the biggest thing,” Sentlinger said. “The majority of the team is returning from last year, but all of the girls got time throughout the season. Shiloh will be returning in circle after being all-conference, all-district, and all-region last year. I look forward to seeing what she can do with a year of experience under her belt. Emersyn Bass will lead our offense after hitting .580 last year. I think that we are going to be able to score runs with the amount of experience and success that we have returning.”
Improving consistency will be key for Jasper this season.
“We need to improve on consistency,” Sentlinger said. “There were times last year where we came out flat and couldn’t recover. I want us to be ready to take the field and compete from the first pitch until the last out. I want them to not to be afraid of making mistakes and being aggressive at the plate and in the field.”
Jasper opens the season Mar. 21-22 at the Joplin Area Tournament hosted by Purdy.
“With what we have returning expectations are high. These girls know how to win, and I expect that to continue,” Sentlinger said. “I want the girls playing with no fear. I want to be able to put pressure on our opponents in every facet of the game. I want them to be able to go out there and just play hard from the get go.”
