Ever since practice began in preparation for the 2008 season, the Emporia High softball team has been in the batting cages nearly every day working on hitting.
Whether that practice pays off or not might very well hold the key to a successful season this spring for the Lady Spartans, as ineffective hitting was the main culprit a year ago when EHS stumbled to a 2-19 record.
And coach Ray Owens knows it.
“Hitting-wise, we’ve still got a ways to go with everybody, and we’re really going to have to work on that,” Owens said. “If we can get our hitting to come around, I think we could be a contender for the League. But it’s going to take a lot of work, and the girls are working hard.”
The hitting isn’t the only unknown for EHS, which opens its season at 4 p.m. today with a home doubleheader against Washburn Rural at Whittier Park.
The youthful Lady Spartans only have two seniors — Jenn Lechien and Abby Lake — after graduating four seniors who all were starters on last season’s team.
But, what EHS might lack in age, Owens is hoping to make up for it in experience.
The majority of the team is made up of juniors and sophomores, many of which saw either extensive action last season or played summer ball with the Emporia Energy, meaning a good deal of the squad has a lot of softball games under its collective belt.
“We’re going to be young. We’re not inexperienced, but we’re young,” Owens said. “Most of them have played a lot of ball.”
As of Wednesday, Owens remained mostly undecided on how his starting lineup would shake out.
But if returning starters are of any value, then the Lady Spartans would appear to have a solid foundation in place.
The entire starting outfield from a season ago could potentially return this season with Lechien in right field, sophomore Lauren Kimble in center field and junior Katie Weaver in left field, though Owens made it clear that all three were being pushed for playing time as the season opener drew closer.
It would seem junior Lexi Hileman has the spot at first base all but locked up after moving there a year ago from catcher and playing the entire season at her new spot.
Hileman said she was taking it upon herself to become more of a presence this season with this team now that she has settled into her position at first.
“We have a lot of work to do, but we’re going to get better. We’re ready to get things going,” Hileman said. “Us juniors — us upperclassmen — really need to take it upon ourselves to lead this team and make it better.”
On the other corner of the diamond, junior Maryann Bennett returns at third base, though her availability early in the season could be in question after a car accident earlier this month caused her to miss a bulk of the preseason practices.
The battle to replace McKenzie Cinelli at shortstop and Tiffany Chalupa at second is basically a three-person battle, though Owens declined to say which players were involved in the fight for playing time at both positions.
“I’ve got to make some decisions,” he said, “and I haven’t made those decisions yet.”
At catcher, Owens said he expected the lone freshman on the varsity squad, Lydia Roemer, to replace the graduated Brendy Muninger.
In the pitching circle, the Lady Spartans will turn to a pair of sophomores in Cassandra Huth and Hannah Lynch, both of whom saw action last season and will now be asked to step into the regular starting roles after the graduation of ace Tia McAlister.
Huth, who played a big role last summer for the Emporia Energy, said she was excited for the challenge before her as a regular starter.
“I went to a lot of pitching clinics, played Energy ball and got into as many tournaments, as I could so I could get better,” Huth said. “I would say I definitely have improved my accuracy, and I’ve been working on my curveball a little as well.”
Also back this season is junior Hilary Heinrichs, who played in the outfield and also pitched. But her progress was delayed because of the basketball season, as Heinrichs was a key reserve for the Lady Spartans’ basketball team, which went to the State Tournament.
Owens said this season would depend on how all the youthful experience improved.
“If we get our bats going, and if we get good defense out of or girls, then we should be improved,” Owens said. “The jury’s still out right now, though.”