Lady Broncos ready to roll-Softball team hoping for another successful spring

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD

pitcher Cassie Wanamaker fields a bunted ball. Wanamaker is one of the four juniors who will lead the team into battle this spring.

Over the past two seasons, Boyd Christian’s Lady Bronco softball team has made vast improvements which have resulted in Boyd finishing in second place in District 9-A regular season action, and two third-place tournament finishes.

Last year the Lady Broncos closed out the season with a 15-8 record and have high hopes of making 2008 their best year yet.

With no seniors on this year’s roster of 14 players, Boyd Christian will have to have their four juniors, Cassie Wanamaker, Leah Walker, Becca Reynolds and Monica Hillis, to step up and provide leadership this spring. The remainder of the squad will be made up of two sophomores: Megan Boren and Lauren Wilcher, four freshmen: Danna Wells, Kelcy Tate, Sara Buckner and Kelcey Jones and four eighth-graders.

‘We hope to improve on last year’s record, but we have a very young inexperience group of kids,’ said assistant coach Ginger Wanamaker.

‘We’re pretty solid at key positions, but it’s the experience level that might be a factor in several games. Right now Reynolds is at third base, Tate will be playing shortstop, Jones should be at second base, Wells is at first, Walker is behind the plate and Wanamaker is on the mound. Our out field looks like, Wilcher, Boren and Hillis.’

Penny Keele has the head coaching duties and along with David Keele and Ginger Wanamaker , the staff has been busy with conditioning and working on base running scenarios. But coach Wanamaker believes hitting will be a big plus for the Lady Bronco team.

‘We hit the ball good at times last season, but we weren’t consistent,’ explained Wanamaker.

‘I think overall we will be a much better hitting team this year. The girls have been taking hitting lessons over the winter and so far I believe it’s paying off. So far we have put in a lot of work on infield drills trying to make sure everyone knows where their supposed to be during certain situations. The real test will come this weekend when we travel to South Pittsburg for a play day. As far as what we need to work on the most, we hope to find that out this weekend.’

The Lady Broncos will open their 20-game schedule on the road at Community High School on Monday, March 10. The following day the Lady Broncos will be back home to take on Webb in a doubleheader.