2020 Softball Season Preview
Top Returners:
Sonia Reddy, Sr., Tracy, Calif.
(IF, Second-team all-Heart, 5-6, .291 BA, 4 HR, 20 RBI)
Abby Young, Sr., Dunlap, Ill.
(IF, Second-team all-Heart, 5-8, .344 BA, 6 RBI)
Kiya Harper, Sr., Decatur, Ill.
(IF, Second-team all-Heart, Heart Newcomer of the Year, 5-8, .359 BA, 7 HR, 31 RBI)
Lexi Riccardi, Sr., Redwood City, Calif.
(C, Letterwinner, 5-8, .245 BA, 3 HR, 25 RBI;
Key Players Lost:
Emily Brown
(Two-time all-Heart)
Katie Springer
(All-Heart)
Karlee Rose Perry
(Two-time letterwinner)
Top Newcomers:
Peyton Parker, Jr., LaPorte City, Iowa
Kelsey Lint, Fr., Brooklyn, Iowa
Valeria Quiroga, Fr., San Benito, Texas
Avery Rayos, Jr., Henderson, Nev.
While the cold weather may still sit over Iowa, the William Penn University softball team is ready to start their 2020 season.
Head coach Mike Christner is entering his 19th season at the helm of the program, entering the year with an overall record of 620-406. He is joined by Ross Hemsley in his third year as an assistant as well as first year graduate assistant Gemma Miller.
Last year saw the team finish eighth overall in a tough Heart of America Athletic Conference, finishing with a record of 24-33 overall and 14-20 in conference play. That mark also saw them finish fifth in the North standings. Emily Brown led the team in hits while Kiya Harper led the team with a .359 batting average. Harper also paced the team with seven home runs and 31 RBIs. Katie Springer picked up the most wins from the center circle and just edged fellow starter Karlee-Rose Perry in the strikeout department.
This season, 14 returners will try to help this squad take another step forward. The team also added 14 newcomers and Coach Christner is pleased with how the team has looked over winter practices.
It is an entirely new pitching group, as Peyton Parker (Jr., LaPorte City, Iowa, Sports Management), Kelsey Lint (Fr., Brooklyn, Iowa, Elementary Education), Dakota Kulis (Fr., Chicago, Ill., Biology), Izabelle Morales (So., Henderson, Nev., Sociology), Emily Nichols (So., Hurdland, Mo., Biology), and Jessica Meza (Fr., Las Vegas, Nev., Exercise Science) will all throw from the rubber this season. Behind the plate, the navy and gold will have Lexi Resa (Jr., Liberty, Mo., Biology), who split time at the position last year, and Madison Garchinski (Sr., Fairy Glen, Saskatchewan, Elementary Education).
Around the horn, Lexi Riccardi (Sr., Redwood City, Calif., Biology) returns for another season at first base, with Hayley Freestone (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., Business Management) also in the mix for starts. Sonia Reddy (Sr., Tracy, Calif., Exercise Science), an all-conference second-team selection last year, will again hold down second base with Rachael Haessly (Jr., Alpine, Calif., Biology) looking to get some time there as well. Abby Young (Sr., Dunlap, Ill., Exercise Science) will man the shortstop position after an all-conference second-team nod last year with Jessica Rogers (Jr., Peyton, Colo., Psychology) backing her up. At third base, Kiya Harper (Sr., Decatur, Ill., Exercise Science), last year’s Newcomer of the Year winner for the Heart, will return and Valeria Quiroga (Fr., San Benito, Texas, Sociology) will be getting some looks as well.
The outfield will feature Destiny Reyes (So., Los Angeles, Calif., Psychology) in left, Avery Rayos (Jr., Henderson, Nev., Biology) in center, and Lindsay Lambert (Sr., Elk Grove, Calif., Elementary Education) in right. Other outfielders include with Nichols, Meza, and Cassie Bade (So., Genoa, Ill., Psycholgy) also getting time in the outfield.
The season begins this weekend for the navy and gold as they travel to Springfield, Mo., for the Evangel Tournament. They will face Cottey, Williams Baptist, William Woods, and Hannibal-LaGrange. They will also take on plenty of competition in Clemont, Fla., over spring break as they will travel to the Sunshine State in March.
The team will start Heart play on the road against Baker and will stay on the road through the end of March. They will open up at home for the first time against Culver-Stockton on April 1. That will start a string of six straight home dates, as the team will host eight doubleheaders over the course of the month. The season will conclude with a road matchup at Missouri Valley on April 26 with the Heart Tournament going from April 29-May 2.
