By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
Glendale will have quite the twosome in junior shortstop Peyton Lindstrom and sophomore pitcher Piper VanZant to lead the Lady Falcons.
Lindstrom is coming off a sophomore season in which she hit .524 with 33 stolen bases while being named to the Class 5 All-State Second Team. VanZant burst upon the scene as a freshman a year ago by hitting .403.
“The excitement and expectations surrounding (Lindstrom) are sky-high,” Glendale coach Turner Jackson said. “She has consistently improved over the last two seasons. We expect her to continue developing both as a player and as a leader. We believe she’s one of the top players, not only in the area, but in the entire state.
“We fully expect (VanZant) to continue to excel both as a hitter and as the anchor of our pitching staff,” he added. “Her potential is limitless, and she consistently shows up ready to work hard and compete. The expectations for her sophomore year are incredibly high. We can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.”
VanZant was a seven-game winner while throwing 89 innings last season.
Glendale also has pitchers in senior Sammy Melton and junior Willow Waters.
“Sammy is coming off an injury,” Jackson said. “We have complete confidence she will rise to the occasion when needed and put us in a strong position to win. We’re looking forward to (Waters’) continued growth and development as a pitcher.”
VanZant and Melton will rotate at first base.
The rest of the Lady Falcons’ infield includes second basemen Isabel Gaunt and CaMaya Dearden, third baseman Eva Spurlin and catcher Marley White.
“Marley excels as a vocal leader, both in the dugout and on the field,” Jackson said. “(Gaunt) made several key plays last season that helped us secure some important wins. We have high expectations for her to be a standout contributor both offensively and defensively. (Spurlin) was a constant force last season, giving her all on every play. We expect her to continue to improve and be an important part of our lineup.”
Glendale has a handful of outfielders contending for playing time. That group includes Lu Chefan, Lauren Cooper, Millie VonWiller, Cami Randall and Gia Chefan.
Chefan was a .333 hitter and Randall batted .286 a year ago.
The Lady Falcons will do their best to attack offensively.
“We’ll have an aggressive offensive approach, constantly pushing to seize momentum whenever possible,” Jackson said. “Our goal is to leverage every aspect of our team to stay unpredictable and keep the opponents on their toes.
“Our goal is to be a highly competitive team that refuses to back down in tough situations and is willing to put the team first,” he added.
This will be Jackson’s first go-around as Glendale’s head coach, after being an assistant the past two seasons. The Lady Falcons were 13-19 a year ago, after five straight winning seasons.
“I’m thrilled to take on the role of leading the program,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to make this program as competitive as possible while driving its growth. The culture I’m committed to building is one of relentless grit, where the team is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. At the same time, I want to create a strong family atmosphere within the program.
“Our team embraces the mindset of ‘Holding the rope,’” he added. “This means that, in any situation, we’re always there for our teammates, ensuring no one faces the challenges of the game alone. By prioritizing the team and pushing each other to improve every day, that level of dedication is what will drive us to be at our best.”
Jackson is a 2020 Glendale grad and former Falcons baseball player. He’s also an assistant on Glendale’s baseball team.
“I believe my background as a baseball coach will translate well to softball,” Jackson said. “I tend to think in terms of an aggressive playing style, emphasizing strong fundamentals.”
Glendale will jamboree at Willard on Aug. 23, before opening with a home date against Branson on Aug. 28 and taking part in the Morrisville Tournament Aug. 29-30.
