By Matt Turer — mturer@ky3.com
@MattTurer
Things are looking up for Hillcrest softball. After winning more games in 2016 (9) than in 2014 and 2015 combined (7), the Hornets will trot out eight returning starters and the Ozark Conference Offensive Player of the Year (Haley Frillman) onto a brand new field in 2017—the first time in program history that they’ll have a field of their own.
With that experience and the continued efforts from head coach Josh McKee, don’t be surprised if the Hornets finish above .500 for the first time this decade.
To get there, the Hornets will lean on Frillman and the experience surrounding her in the field and on the mound. Frillman (first-team all-conference) led the team in most offensive categories in 2016, batting .483 with a .540 on-base percentage, 1.450 OPS, 12 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 29 runs and 19 RBIs.
Hillcrest returns three other starters who hit above .300 in 2016 in senior pitcher Caitlyn Blackburn (.322/.398/.368), sophomore utility player Cami Davis (.300/.382/.400) and junior all-conference honorable-mention infielder Lydia Conlon (.300/.370/.356).
“I think we will have a better season than we have had in years past,” McKee said. “We did not lose any starters to graduation last year and all the returning starters have started since their freshman year, so they will be bringing two-to-three years of varsity experience to the field.
“I think this group will be a lot more mature than in years past and be able to handle the grind of games every week. There are a lot of weeks where we will play six-to-eight games a week.”
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Blackburn (second-team all-conference) is a three-year starter on the mound and is coming off a 9-9 season with a 3.51 ERA and 1.58 WHIP with 150 strikeouts in 151.2 innings.
“With the new addition of the field the girls are pretty excited about that and I think that could play a huge role into this upcoming season,” McKee said. “For the first time in the program’s history we actually have our own field to call home and not wonder where we will be playing next year.”
Which means for the first time, Hillcrest will have a home-field advantage. That can’t be underestimated on the psyche of an athlete.
All-conference honorable mention catcher Madison Shafferkoetter (Jr.) is back this season along with second-team all-conference infielder Sarah Hale. Shafferkoetter hit .290 last season. Hale hit .257.
Sophomore first baseman Brooke Blair, junior outfielder Hannah Holland and sophomore outfielder Mariah Lee also return.
McKee said freshman pitcher Halle Pyle, freshman infielder KiKi Walker and sophomore infielder Lanie Luthie could all see a lot of varsity time this season.
