Despite losing seven starters off last year's 19-9 team, expectations are high for the 2015 McDonald County Lady Mustangs softball team.
Coach Skyler Rawlins takes over the program following the retirement of Tray Shaddox at the end of last year's campaign. Assistant coach Lee Smith and freshman coach Neal Hutton are back in those same roles this season.
2015 Lady Mustang Softball
Number##Player##Grade##Position
3##Hanna Schmit##11##SS/2nd
4##Miryan Martinez##10##OF
5##Samantha Frazier##9##SS/P
6##Abbi Hardage##11##OF/2nd
7##Kenzie Stephens##10##OF
8##Cloee Helm##10##OF/P
9##Paige Jones##11##P/1st
10##Kaylee Cornell##9##P/2nd
12##Sarah Padilla##12##C
13##Chelsea Creason##11##OF
14##Hannah Leonard##10##OF
15##Ivei Nelson##10##SS/2nd
16##Chloe Anderson##12##3rd
17##Bekah Hitt##10##3rd/C
18##Kali McClain##11##SS/OF
19##Kylie Helm##9##C
20##Kendra Brown##12##OF
23##Aubrie Dunn##11##1st/C
24##Lakota Wolfe##10##P
25##Skylar Wright##11##1st
Head Coach: Skyler Rawlins
Assistant Coach: Lee Smith
Varsity Softball, Fall 1015
Day^Date^Opponent^Level^Home/Away
Saturday^8/22/2015^Jamboree^Var/JV^Home^10 a.m.
Tuesday^8/25/2015^Nevada^Var/JV^Away^5 p.m.
Thursday^8/27/2015^Neosho High School^Var/JV^Away^5 p.m.
8/28/15—8/29/15 Joplin Tournament^Varsity^Away^TBA
Tuesday^9/1/2015^Carthage High School^Var/JV^Away^5 p.m.
Thursday^9/3/2015^Aurora High School (Conf.)^Var/JV^Home^5 p.m.
Friday^9/4/2015^Nixa^Var/JV^Away^5:^p.m.
Thursday^9/10/2015^Seneca (Conf.)^Var/JV^Away^5 p.m.
Monday^9/14/2015^Carl Junction (Conf.)^Var/JV^Home^5 p.m.
Tuesday^9/15/2015^Joplin High School^Var/JV^Home^5 p.m.
Saturday^9/19/2015^Branson Tournament^Varsity^Away^TBA
Monday^9/21/2015^Lamar (Conf.)^Var/JV^Home^5 p.m.
Tuesday^9/22/2015^Cassville High School (Conf.)^Var/JV^Home^5 p.m.
Thursday^9/24/2015^East Newton (Conf.)^Var/JV^Away^5 p.m.
Saturday^9/26/2015^Carthage JV Tourney^Jr. Varsity^Away^TBA
Monday^9/28/2015^Webb City High School^Var/JV^Home^5 p.m.
Tuesday^9/29/2015^Monett High School (Conf.)^Var/JV^Home^5 p.m.
Thursday^10/1/2015^Republic High School^Var/JV^Away^5 p.m.
^10/2-3/15 Carthage Tournament^Varsity^Away^TBA
^10/5-10/15 District Tournament
^^Varsity^Away^TBA
2015 Sophomore/Freshman Lady Mustang Softball
Number##Player##Grade##Position
1##Kirsten Burt##9##OF
2##Bailey Bates##9##2nd
3##Taylor Keith##9##3rd/C
4##Bailey McCalister##9##OF
5##Sam Frazier##9##SS/P
6##Ivei Nelson##10##SS/2nd
7##Kaylee Cornell##9##P/2nd
8##Allison Duckett##10##3rd
9##Courtnie Eberly##10##1st
10##Johanna Aguilera##10##OF
Head Coach: Neal Hutton
Junior infielder Hanna Schmit and sophomore outfielder Cloee Helm are the lone full-time returning starters from last season, while senior infielder Chloe Anderson and junior pitcher Paige Jones were starters in some games.
"We lost our main core of starters from last year so we are going to be young and inexperienced," Rawlins said. "We have only one senior starter and just three seniors on the team, but we have a good group. It will be nice to be with the same group for a couple of years. We will learn and grow together."
Rawlins said he thinks his team's ability to score some runs will be one of the strengths of the team.
"Hopefully our bats will carry us," Rawlins said. "We have girls up and down the lineup that can swing it a little bit. I think Cloee (Helm) and Hanna Schmit will set the table for the middle of our lineup. We have freshman (Kylie Helm) in the three spot and Aubrie Dunn (junior first baseman) and Chloe Anderson in the middle of the order to drive in runs."
Rawlins said the remainder of the lineup will be able to put the ball in play and put pressure on the opposing defense.
Jones will be the leader of a three-deep pitching rotation that includes Schmit and sophomore Lakota Wolfe.
"Paige will throw quite a bit," Rawlins said. "She throws strikes and pitches to contact and lets the defense play behind her. Hanna will come in and throw some. She isn't going to overpower anyone, but she mixes it up and changes speeds well. Lakota Wolfe is just a sophomore and we are probably going to throw her to the wolves pretty early."
McDonald County opened the season Aug. 25 at Nevada and traveled to Neosho Aug. 27 before entering the Joplin tournament on Aug. 28-29. The Lady Mustangs home opener is also their Big 8 Conference opener on Sept. 3 against Aurora.
Other tournaments include the Branson tournament on Sept. 19 and the Carthage tournament on Oct. 2-3 to close out the regular season prior to districts which begin Oct. 5.
Sports on 08/27/2015