2023 BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PREVIEWS

runs scored and 19 steals.

Sophomore Megan Camden. She will share duties at catcher and first base as well. She hit .341 in her freshman year with an OBP of .491 thanks to 22 walks. She contributed 3 home runs to go along with 24 RBIs and 27 runs scored.

Senior Paige Henson. She will contribute to the outfield again this year as a senior. She hit .341 last season.

Senior Lauren Walker. She will help in both the infield and outfield depending on who is pitching. She hit .281 with 29 runs scored with 23 RBIs.

Key losses: We are losing one senior from last year’s team in Marissa Cox. She played third base and some outfield. Cox hit .281 with an on-base percentage of .458, thanks to a team-best 27 walks.

Key newcomers: Returning seniors Ryan Kallal and Sophie Pohlman started at times last year and will be in competition for an increased role this year. Ryan pitched in nine games last year, throwing 30 innings with an ERA of 3.77. Sophie will look to help us in center field this year. Junior Halle Webb will also be competing for time in the infield or outfield. The Lady Hawks welcome incoming freshman Hannah Lake, who can contribute across the diamond. She is a pitcher and has experience in the infield at first base and second base.

Pitching: Lauren Flowers, Hannah Uhles and Ryan Kallal will get the bulk of varsity in- nings. We expect that Hannah Uhles will have a bigger impact here as she is fully healthy after having wrist surgery last January. Keeping our arms fresh for the postseason will be key this year as we noticed some fatigue late last year. Vanna Holmes and Hannah Lake will be in the mix for some junior varsity time.

Hitting: The team will be led by the returning players, with strong senior and sophomore classes. We are a young group still that will look to grow as the season continues. The experience that many of our players received last year will hopefully make an impact/improvement on this upcoming season. Should be a good mix of speed and power.

Fielding: We have many girls who can play multiple positions, and that will be a factor as the pitching staff rounds into form.

Season outlook: We expect to contend for the WIVC conference championship as well as make an extended postseason run. While we have only 12 girls, this team is full of talent and potential if they can continue to learn and grow during practice times and games.

Greenfieldnorthwestern Baseball

Coach: Jacob McEvers

Last year’s record: 23-7 (regional championship for the third straight year)

Returning starters: Junior Kohen Vetter (.385 BA, 36 hits, 36 runs scored, 20 stolen bases/17.1 IP, 1.61 ERA), sophomore Talon Albrecht (.412 BA, 35 hits, 27 RBI, 24 R/3-2 record), junior Brody Reif (.370 BA, 25 hits, 3 home runs), sophomore Garrett Costello (.350 OBP, 12 RBI, 13 R), junior Brayden Roberts (.378 OBP), sophomore Wyatt Stuart (.333 OBP)

Key losses: We are losing a senior class that accumulated an undefeated regional record over their four years in school. COVID took a year away, but they were a big part of winning three regionals in the other three years of competition. They included Jimmy Stewart (.293 BA) and fouryear starters Brady Pembrook (.492 BA), Connor Bettis (.351 OBP/3.3 ERA) and Drake Stuart (.350 BA/5-0 record, 1.69 ERA).

Key newcomers: Senior Brett Bilbruck will catch as well as play corner infield positions. We are looking for Brett to add some power to the middle of our lineup.

Junior Maddax Coffey will play both infield and outfield. Adding a bat from the left side with some power will be a great addition this spring.

Freshman Brock Bowman had a great eighth-grade year both offensively and defensively. He will play anywhere on the infield and throw significant innings this spring for us. We are also looking forward to adding Brock’s bat to the lineup.

Kayden Roberts will play corner infield and outfield. He will provide an additional bat and arm for us this spring that will be needed.

Pitching: Kohen Vetter and Talon Albrecht both excelled as underclassmen last year. We look for those two to be the main guys for us during conference play with a bunch of fresh arms relieving them. Both kids are three-sport athletes, and looking forward to their competitiveness leading on the mound.

Garrett Costello, Brayden Roberts and Wyatt Stuart all threw innings for the varsity staff last year and will be key contributors to the success of our spring. Freshmen Brock Bowman and Kayden Roberts will provide two new additional arms.

Hitting: Junior Kohen Vetter will be entering his third season as the Tiger leadoff hitter. He will set the tone for what we do at the plate this spring. Kohen had 35 hits and a .385 OBP.

Talon Albrecht also returns from a 35-hit campaign with a .479 OBP. Talon will provide both stability and power in the early part of the order this year.

The Tigers will be looking for some power from Brody Reif, Brett Bilbruck and Garrett Costello, all in the middle of their order.

Fielding: We have a lot of new faces in positions this spring. Looking for Talon Albrecht, Kohen Vetter, Grant Hudson and Brock Bowman to play most of the middle infield positions.

We are looking forward to having junior Brayden Roberts control center field, with sophomores

Griffin Rothe and Wyatt Stuart both playing a good amount of innings on either side of him.

Sophomore Garrett Costello finished the year strong behind the plate. Both he and Brett Bilbruck will catch this spring.

Guys competing for corner infield sports are Brody Reif, Wyatt Stuart, Brett Bilbruck, Maddax Coffey, Brock Bowman, and Kayden Roberts.

Season outlook: Losing a great senior class never helps, and we have done that two years in a row now. We are a young group with only one senior. We have a lot of new pieces in place but are extremely excited for the guys that went out this year and what they can accomplish.

Greenfieldnorthwestern Softball

Coach: Kristie Ornellas

Last year’s record: 5-18

Returning starters: Bailee Mathews returns as our lone senior. She led the team in batting average last year at .333. She played both right field and second base. Kylie Cox is one of our most versatile players, and those skills will be utilized this year. Last year she handled most of the catching duties but will be getting some help there this year so she can be utilized in other positions. Evie White is stepping up to more pitching duties this year. She is also able to help in some other positions. Claire Woods had the second-best batting average, hit- ting .299 last year. Claire played third base last year but had other position skills as well.

Key losses: We lost six seniors -- Torrie McAdams, Laural Rothe, Jealee Clark, Aliyah Roberts, Sydney Turley and Munchy Jones -- who had a love of the game and were disciplined players that played with heart.

Key newcomers: We have two incoming freshmen who will be adding a lot to the team on both sides of the ball. Jillian McAdams will help deepen our pitching pool and is a well-rounded defensive player. Her offense is just as strong as her defense. Annabeth Thornton is another extremely versatile player who can play anywhere on the field. We will be looking to her to help in the catcher’s position as well as other places on the field. Her offensive game will also be a welcome addition to the team.

Pitching: Evie White will be looking to step up this year. She added some more depth to her pitching in the off-season that will be beneficial. Jill McAdams will be looking to move the ball quite a bit. Baylee Landes will give the batters a whole different look, and Kylie Cox is coming on as an impressive addition.

Hitting: We are looking to Bailee Mathews to lead us at the plate again this year, although there are lots of bats ready to assist. We have lots of girls who can go short or long depending on what the situation calls for.

Fielding: We were left with openings in center, second base,