By Chris Parker
McDonald County softball is coming off a 13-15 campaign with six all-conference players returning.
The pitching staff will be deep featuring Carlie Martin (senior), Dakota O’Brien (junior), Malery Williams (junior), Kendyl Tarvin (sophomore), Abby Riley (freshman), Jennifer Jackson (freshman), Kelsey Toney (freshman and Laramie Gawith (freshman).
Martin will also play on the infield as the team’s only senior. She earned first-team all-conference honors as an infielder last season after she hit .523 with 18 RBI, 15 runs and 11 stolen bases.
“Carlie Martin is our lone senior this year,” McDonald County head coach Heath Alumbaugh said. “We will look to her for her veteran presence in the field and at the plate.”
O’Brien, also an outfielder, earned first-team all-conference honors as a utility player and second-team as a pitcher. O’Brien was second on the team with a .473 batting average to go with 29 runs scored and 12 stolen bases.
Catcher Kearston Hopkins (junior) was a first-team all-conference honoree. She hit .430 with a team-high 32 runs scored as a sophomore. Sophomore Brionna Ziemianin is also a great option at catcher for McDonald County.
Sophomore Shianne Starr is the final returning first-team all-conference selection returning. She earned her honors as a designate player hitting .358 with 17 RBI. She will be on the infield.
Kamryn Christie (sophomore infielder) and Peyton Alumbaugh (sophomore outfielder) both earned second-team all-conference honors at those spots. Christie hit .314 with 10 runs scored. Alumbaugh posted a .351 batting average with 17 runs and 13 stolen bases.
Look for Williams, Vanessa Zamora (junior) and Jayma Forcum (sophomore) on the infield. The outfield will also feature Camren Pippin (junior), Rayne Knox (sophomore) and Peyton Patterson (sophomore).
“We feel like our team strengths will be our ability to manufacture runs and make routine plays defensively,” Alumbaugh said. “We will need some young pitching to settle in and be able to give us some quality innings in the circle.”
McDonald County opens the regular season on Aug. 28 at home against Webb City.
“We feel like we have the pieces to have a successful season and possibly compete for a conference championship and district championship at the end of the season,” Alumbaugh said.
