2023 BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PREVIEWS

first base, left field and pitcher when our seniors left. It’s too soon to tell who is going to win out in each spot, but we do have a great talent pool to choose from. We will see our freshmen stepping into a couple of those spots, and our seniors leading our team.

Season outlook: We are a young team again. We have one senior and five juniors, but one of those, Claire Costello, is currently out with an injury, and one is brand new to the team. We will look to the sophomores and freshmen to step up and help fill roles on the team to continue to develop the GNW Tiger softball program.

GRIGGSVILLE-PERRY SOFTBALL

Coach:

Danielle Mason

Last year’s record: 2-10

The Tornadoes have a total of 12 players this year: six freshmen, three sophomores, two juniors and one senior.

This will be my second season as the head coach for GP softball. The evaluation of all key positions is still ongoing and will continue throughout the season. Our focus is to identify skill sets, as well as position confidence, to determine where each athlete will play.

Offensively, we are focusing on our ability to put the ball in play to force opponents to make strong defensive plays. Our lineup is filled with strong hitters and players with speed.

Our team is led by a single se- nior this season, but she will be supported by a talented group of underclassmen. The core to our success is based on the positive connection between this group of athletes, their competitiveness, and their desire to improve upon last year’s record.

Our athletes have been working hard to enhance their skills and have shown a positive dedication level to learning the game and being successful. All of this, combined with a dry spring, should make for a successful season.

Jacksonville Baseball

Coach: Cory Bunner (10th season)

Last year’s record: 18-14-1

Returning starters: Senior outfielder/pitcher Quin Saxer (.417 BA, 27 RBI, 36 R/3-3 record, 3.79 ERA, 56 K), junior third baseman/pitcher Cody Fry (.302 BA, 20 RBI, 22 R /3-3 record, 44 K), junior outfielder/pitcher Hayden Hicks (.300 BA, 22 RBI, 21 R), sophomore shortstop/pitcher Anderson Decker (.262 BA, 15

RBI, 23 R), sophomore catcher/ third baseman/pitcher Brandon Sims (18 RBI, 16 R)

Key losses: Garrett Meyer, Nolan Decker and Aaron Weber

Key newcomers: Sophomore Ryan Luconic (INF/P), sophomore Jacob Henry (1B/P), freshman Joe Reif (OF), freshman Nolan Peters (1B/P), junior Liam Lane (2B/C)

Pitching: Quin Saxer will anchor our staff this season. Cody Fry made great strides last year and will continue to log a lot of conference innings for us this base to shortstop this season. Cody Fry will move over to third base. Luconic, McCulloch and Lane will man second base. First base will be manned by Jacob Henry and Nolan Peters. Most catching duties this season will be handled by Brandon Sims, who has made great strides since last season behind the dish.

Season outlook: This will be as young a group as I’ve had in my 10 years of coaching. We must play through some of the growing pains and come out on the other side better. This group thus far has shown me that we can do that. We will work hard to improve and compete one pitch at a time.

Jacksonville Softball

Coach: Kelly Brockhouse

Last year’s record: 5-23 season. Decker, Luconic, Sims and Hicks look to take on more innings this season.

Hitting: We graduated three of our top four bats, so we will rely on Saxer to anchor our offense as well. Fry, Decker, Sims and Hicks will need to take on more offensive responsibility this season. I see this group as a group that will have to execute the little things in order to score runs.

Fielding: Our outfield will be anchored by Saxer in center and Joe Reif and Hicks in the corners. Decker will move from second

Returning starters: Pitcher/ shortstop/catcher Mackenzie Gerard (.444 BA, .516 OBP, .704 SLG, 2 HR) -- Mackenzie is coming back as a junior and a threeyear starter. Coming off a great season in which she won Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for JHS last spring. She will be our ace on the mound this year, a different role from the past two years as our starting catcher.

Center fielder Addy Blimling (.345 BA, .455 OBP, 9 SB) -- Addy is also a three-year starter and will be our leader in the outfield. She will lead off again and be the catalyst to our offense.