By Chris Parker
Norwood softball has seven starters back from last season’s 13-win team. The experience will be something the Lady Pirates have not had in several years.
“For the first time in about four years, we have an older team. Hopefully the experience will help us pull out the close games,” Norwood head coach Lori Drake said. “We must stay the course the entire season. Fall season is a fast season, and we talk a lot about what it takes to make sure we get to stretch it to day 70 and beyond.”
Sophomore Maddie Campbell returns to the circle where she threw every inning for Norwood both last fall and spring. She earned all-district, all-region and all-conference honors on the strength of a 4.02 ERA and 120 strikeouts.
“Maddie is a sophomore, but a veteran softball player,” Drake said. “She leads off, so she can use her great base running skills to score runs. She pitches every game for us and was poised in the circle as a freshman, so we are expecting more dominance this year.”
Hailey Hall is a four-year starter and one of just two seniors on the team. She will play shortstop. Last season, she led Norwood in batting average, on-base percentage and RBI on her way to all-district, all-region and all-conference honors.
“Hailey Hall is a four-year starter and leads our team with her excellent work ethic and good attitude,” Drake said. “Hailey has played all around the infield throughout her career. She is a solid defender with a good approach at the plate, which led her to top batting average last fall.”
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Junior Autumn Gunter will play up the middle as well at second base after hitting .310 last fall. She was an all-conference selection.
“Autumn will always be a middle infielder due to her athletic ability and having great defensive range and a strong arm,” Drake said. “She had a good fall 2022 season and an even better spring 2023 season, so we are banking on her keeping on that roll.”
Senior Brooke Johnson (first base), junior Katelynn Bennett (third base), sophomore Jayden Chambers (catcher) and sophomore Gentry Davault (utility) will also be on the infield.
Kinley Sinning will anchor the outfield in center field after earning honorable mention all-conference honors last season. She hit .324.
“Kinley had to transition from left field to center field from the fall to spring season,” Drake said. “She stepped up and handled it well. She has always had a ton of power at the plate, and we are hoping she becomes even more consistent with her hitting and drives in her teammates.”
Junior Natalee Lawson (right field) and sophomore Lydia Harden (left field) will join Sinning in the outfield.
Freshmen Addie Smith (utility/DP/pitcher), Mayci Calhoun (outfield), Autumn Parsons (infield/outfield) and Charlie Miller (catcher) all will look to vie for time on varsity.
Norwood travels to Hillcrest for a jamboree on Aug. 18 before opening the regular season Aug. 25-26 at the Halfway Tournament.
“We finished 13-12 last fall with a second-place finish in our Class 1 district to one of the best Class 1 teams in the state (Neelyville). Our fall schedule is tough, so maintaining an above .500 record is always something we list in our goals,” Drake said. “We also always strive to win a district championship. Our tradition is strong here and postseason runs are always a goal. We played our conference games in the spring (7-2 record) and shared the Summit Conference title with Hartville. We will be a top contender for the conference title again this spring.”
