The Hillsdale softball team has been preparing for its spring season by batting indoors, swimming, cycling, and reading.
“I think we look good to return at or near the top of our conference,” head coach Kyle Gross said. “We have a lot of new faces and so we’re going to need to get them experience, but we have a really solid returning team and good things are expected this year.”
According to sophomore pitcher Joni Russell, the team will face tough competition such as the Ohio Dominican Panthers, the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans, and the Findlay Oilers in the G-MAC.
“We’re ranked fourth this year, which was kind of hard for us since we won the G-MAC last season,” Russell said.
The team has been doing a lot of indoor batting practice at the new softball hitting facility behind the baseball team’s barn, Gross said. They have also been doing a lot of pitching reps with a new pitching machine.
In addition to basic softball training and lifting, the team has been swimming and cycling, assistant coach Ericka Hess said.
“Day in and day out, we’re practicing all the time,” Russell said. “We’re focusing a lot on our mental game this year and are reading a book, ‘The Champion’s Mind.’ We’re talking more about ourselves as players and not defining ourselves based on our performance.”
After losing eight senior starters, Gross said one of the team’s challenges will be getting the freshmen and players who have not played as much into consistent roles.
“When you lose that much experience, even though we have a lot of talent coming up, that experience is tough to replace,” Gross said. “The only thing that can replace that is time itself and playing.”
According to Gross, the entire pitching staff is returning from last year as well as freshman Mackenzi Maxson.
“I would say as a whole, we have a very strong pitching staff and some upperclassmen that are going to greatly contribute offensively,” Gross said.
Russell said the team dynamics have been great so far this year.
“Everyone’s a team player, and everyone’s trying to help each other out,” Russell said.
Hess, in her first year as assistant coach, said she is eager to know the players better and what motivates them.
“I’m excited to get to know the girls as competitive softball players: why they play the game and who they are on the field,” Hess said.
Russell said her goal this season is to be excited about the game and have fun playing the sport she loves.
“I did really well my freshman year, so there is some pressure to perform well again, but I’m trying to not have that pressure,” Russell said.
The team will begin non-conference play in the Tusculum Round Robin Friday and Saturday in Tennessee.
