By Chris Parker
Crane softball returns seven starters from last season’s 16-win team.
Those seven are: Lorene Mease (senior), Addy Westrip (senior), Hunter Cleveland (senior), Raegan Jackson (junior), Abrey Ellingsworth (junior), Averie Amos (junior) and Ella Rogers (sophomore).
Jackson and Madyson Pippin will be the team’s pitchers according to head coach Mike Morelock.
Morelock on Jackson: “Raegan will throw a majority of our innings this season. She is a true softball player and can literally play anywhere on the field. Raegan will mix up some speeds and move the ball, but her competitiveness and toughness will be what drives her all season.”
Morelock on Pippin: “Madyson will see significant time in the circle for the varsity this season as well as be the starter for our JV team. She has a quiet personality, but she is a fierce competitor, and she will help us win games this year.”
Westrip, Reese Custer (sophomore) and Peyton Cutbirth (freshman) are options at catcher.
Morelock on Westrip: “Addy is another one of our many versatile players. She can play anywhere and be very effective. She is quick, strong, has a rocket arm, and is very competitive. She will catch all of our big games, especially early in the season. She is a hard worker and catching will pose a challenge for her but we know she will step up and do a great job for us.”
Morelock on Custer: “Reese will eat up some innings for us on both the varsity and JV behind the plate this season. She is a hard worker and will embrace this role very well. Reese started hitting the ball extremely well towards the end of last season and it will be almost impossible to keep her off the field.”
Morelock on Cutbirth: “Peyton will make an impact right away for us this season. She has played softball her whole life and loves the catcher position. We will challenge her all season to work hard and prove to the coaches that she can handle big games, have the stamina to go 7 innings, and compete with 17- and 18-year-olds. We believe she is up to the task, and we look forward to watching her growth in her first high school season.”
Ellingsworth, Rogers, Cleveland and Mease will likely make up the infield.
“They all bring experience back this season and know how we like to execute on various defensive plays,” Morelock said. “Hunter will be one of our senior leaders and she also can play anywhere I put her. Her average rose consistently over the course of the season last year, and we hope that continues into this season. Lorene rounds out our senior leaders. She can play just about anywhere as well. She throws right and hits left. She has some sneaky pop in that bat and always seems to come up with big clutch hits for us. Lorene and Hunter will be a great duo on the left side of the infield.”
Amos and Tailor Cleveland return to the outfield.
“Tailor had to sit out all last season with a knee injury. We are beyond excited to get her back as our leader in the outfield. She is very versatile, has a strong arm, and will make sure our outfielders know what to do when the ball is hit to them,” Morelock said.
Expect to see a different team come playoff time than you do in game one.
“This team will get better and better the more games we play,” Morelock said. “I understand that a lot of teams are that way, but this one in particular will most certainly be that way. We will have a new look in a few key positions so that will take some time to develop. I expect a hard-working bunch that will hustle all the time and work hard no matter if we are up 10 runs or down 10 runs. We will display great sportsmanship, we will not complain to officials, and we will compete as hard as we can the entire season.”
Crane opens the season on Mar. 20 at home against Hollister.
“Expectations are to be playing the best softball we can when districts roll around,” Morelock said. “We should be able to compete with anyone on our schedule or in our district. We will set a series of short-term goals and we always have one long term goal to make it to the district championship game. Expectations cannot go beyond that. You have to take one game at a time, have some luck on your side, and be playing great softball to win a district title.”
