By Chris Neyenhouse
Salem returns all but one starter from a squad that finished just one game below .500 in their second season as a spring softball team.
Tigers head coach Rebekah Hayes slides over from her assistant position to take the reins of the program.
“I am so excited to work with these girls as my own, and see the growth in every single one of them by the end of the season,” said Hayes. “As a coach, that is one of the most rewarding things to see.”
Hayes will be relying on her three seniors to be leaders.
“Delaney Owen, Kyleigh Wood and Brooke Mahurin all have great attitudes on and off the field and make great team leaders,” Hayes said. “These three seniors are great with the underclassmen and can keep the energy alive when you need them too.”
She’ll also have junior Reagan DuBois back to handle a young pitching staff after their ace graduated.
“Sophomore Alexis White and freshman Raven Gillam will most likely see the pitching mound a lot this year,” Hayes said.
Owen will start in center field. Sophomores Taylor Fulton, Saylor VanWyk, and Regan Thompson all return to play key roles next to her. And as for the infield, Alexis White, Taylor Fulton and Shaylee Thomas are also back and figure to be the cornerstones there.
“Being that we only lost one senior last year, our biggest strength will be that the majority of these girls have played together already, and they know how important it is to work as a team” Hayes said.
Makena Faulkner, Raven Gilliam, Kamryn Branaman, Molly Fleener, Beatrice Hovey, Brianna Notter, Emma Purcell, MacKenzie Radford, Rylee Robbins, Cassie Scott, Isabel Thomas, Olivia Hensley, and Bailey Stewart will also figure into the mix for playing time.
“Our biggest thing we need to improve on to be successful this year is playing smart ball,” Hayes said. “We tend to get ahead of ourselves and try to speed things up. Taking each at bat and each play on the field one at a time, will be our goal for success.”
Salem begins their softball season March 19 at Ellington.
