With no seniors on last year’s squad, the Webb City softball team returns plenty of varsity experience entering the 2023 season.
Featuring a large number of newcomers in 2022, the Cardinals went 17-20 overall and 5-4 in the COC. Webb City won a postseason game and ended the year with a district semifinal loss to eventual champion McDonald County.
Cardinals coach Shauna Friend is confident last year’s experience, and the growing pains along the way, should pay off in a big way this season.
“We have a lot to be excited about this season,” Friend said. “We are returning our entire roster with a year of experience to build on. It’s a great group of athletes both in talent and character. They will compete and be fun to watch.”
Returning players with prior varsity experience include seniors Sydney Strickland, Dawsyn Decker and Jensyn Pickett, juniors Laney Taylor, Addi Brown, Rylynn McFarland and Emily Wood and sophomores Lily Hall, Kylee Sargent, Alex Maturino, Makenzie Wynn, Madeline Barchak, Kyley Senter, Karsyn Cahoon and Joleesa Jarmin.
Friend noted most of the starting positions are up for grabs during the preseason.
“Sydney Strickland and Lily Hall will return as our starting first and second basemen as best as I can tell at this point,” Friend said. “We have a lot to work out in the first three weeks of practice. There will be a lot of competition for varsity playing time and positions.”
Like Strickland and Hall, Sargent and Pickett started on the infield last season, while Maturino, Decker and Wynn were starting outfielders. Coach Friend noted there will likely be some shuffling of where returning athletes play in the field.
In 2022, Sargent recorded a .379 batting average with 44 hits, 45 runs scored, 27 RBI and six home runs, while Maturino hit .341 with 29 hits and 18 RBI.
Decker batted .270 with 30 hits, 23 runs scored and 20 RBI, Pickett hit .275 with 28 hits and 24 RBI, Hall batted .312 with 34 hits and 15 RBI and Strickland had a .276 batting average with 27 hits, 17 runs scored and 16 RBI. Hall earned first team all-conference honors last season as an infielder.
One returning starter, sophomore catcher Liz Rhuems, is currently unable to compete due to an injury. Rhuems was an honorable mention all-conference selection last season after hitting .405 with 49 hits, 34 RBI and 30 runs scored.
The team’s most experienced hurler, Taylor pitched 132 innings in 34 outings last season, striking out 71 and finishing the fall with a 3.18 ERA on the way to earning 11 wins.
Cahoon had 24 appearances in the circle. She struck out 52 and picked up three wins. Jarmin pitched in six games, earning two wins.
Freshmen Abby Sargent (IF/OF), Addie Burns (P) and Alivia Nieburg (P) are newcomers to watch.
With 15 returning players, and with a number of promising newcomers, the Cardinals have plenty of depth.
“Our strength this year would be depth at many positions, including one of the most crucial positions—pitcher,” Friend said. “We have a total of eight pitchers that I feel confident to step into a varsity circle and record quality innings. I think having depth at various positions will help the players push each other to give their best effort and continue to improve throughout the season.”
Consistent offensive production will be one of the team’s main keys to success this fall.
“Offensively, we will have to improve on our consistency through the lineup,” Friend said. “We will have to find ways to move runners and get timely hits to drive them in. The players are going to have to put in the extra time and effort on the tee and in the cage, as well as be coachable in order to continue to improve offensively.”
Playing with confidence, communicating on the field and building solid team chemistry will be other keys to success for the Cardinals.
“Last year, with very little varsity experience at all, we lacked confidence, communication and chemistry,” Friend said. “These three criteria are critical for success in a team sport. I believe with the added year of experience, the players will have more confidence in themselves and their teammates. They know that communication has to improve and have been working on that over the summer. And chemistry, not the chemistry I teach, but team chemistry—the glue that keeps a team together and focused on their goals. Successful teams have good team chemistry.”
Webb City opens the season on Aug. 26 at McDonald County. The Cardinals will take on Quapaw (Oklahoma) at 11 a.m. and the host Mustangs at 1 p.m.
Webb City’s first home game is slated for Aug. 28 against Nevada.
With fall practices underway, Friend noted the expectations are high every year at Webb City. This year is no different.
“I believe every year you set your goals and expectations high, otherwise why put in all the time, effort, and sweat,” she said. “We expect to compete to win every game, to learn and improve from every game, and ultimately fight for a district championship and advance to the state championship.”
The Cavaliers will obviously look a bit different this season after the graduation of multi-year standout Kip Atteberry, who finished as the Class 1 state runner-up and the Ozark 7 champion last fall. 