Fall 2017 Preview: Salem Softball

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By Matt Turer
mturer@ky3.com

Salem softball just wins. The Lady Tigers have finished with at least 15 of them in every season going back to 2011. That success peaked last year with a 21-5 record behind a supremely talented group of six starting seniors.

That Group of Six was headed up by Camryn Pryor, who went out as the program’s career leader in singles, home runs, hits and RBIs and finished her senior season with a team-best .571 average, four homers and 37 RBIs. The list of graduates goes on from there, and you can really feel the weight of what Salem needs to replace just by looking at their numbers: Shelby Carr (.506 AVG., 4 HR, 29 RBI, 33 R, 18-game hit streak to open the season/5-1, 3.80 ERA, 46 K, 40.1 IP), Payton Curley (.387 AVG., 3 HR, 35 R, 14 SB), Kirsten Strebe (.410 AVG., 3 HR, 35 R, 9 SB), Shaylee Harrison (.404 AVG.), Kari Hatridge (15-1, 2.04 ERA, 105 K, 97 IP).

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The team’s top two pitchers and nearly every top hitter are on that list, meaning the depth that Salem softball has shown over the past decade will need to continue if they’re to win a sixth consecutive SCA title.

There’s hope, though. And it starts with Bekah Kirker, who has already signed with Lincoln University. Kirker hit .470 last year as a junior, mashing four homers (17 total XBH), scoring 35 runs and knocking in 29 RBIs.

Behind Kirker are Lexy Woolman (.315 AVG.) and Trista Heavin (.260 AVG.). Both can be good top-of-the-lineup bats. Woolman had her average above .350 for much of the season, and Heavin had hers above .300. Both are also threats on the basepaths.

But new faces don’t just end in the lineup for Salem. Don Smith isn’t returning as head coach this season and Athletic Director Phillip Carr will be taking over the role. Carr announced that Natalie Sellers will be the team’s assistant coach.

Carr has projected Heavin as the team’s No. 1 starter going into 2017. Heavin pitched four innings in 2016, striking out a pair and allowing two earned runs.

Carr knows there’s some work ahead if the Tigers want to keep up their recent run of winning seasons.

“As the saying goes, you have to be strong up the middle to win games, and [we] graduated our top-two pitchers, shortstop, catcher and centerfielder.”

Salem’s other returners had six total varsity at-bats in 2016. That includes Brooke Adams (2-for-5 in 2016), Megan Roos (1-for-1 in 2016), Nina Howard, and Alyssa Bowers.

“Howard is an athletic sophomore who was to be looked at as a shortstop, but she broke her ankle recently and will be out for quite some time,” Karr said.

Karr said Bowers will hopefully lock down an outfield position, projected Adams or Taylor Bradshaw will start at catcher, and said Roos should end up at second base (after she recovers from an undisclosed injury).

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