After a season filled with adversity seemingly at every turn, Neosho softball returns plenty of experience with a little added motivation in 2022.
Following a year marred by injuries and other medical designations, the Wildcats return 12 players who either started or have logged significant varsity innings. That experience coming back, coupled with the way last season ended, has Neosho eager to take the diamond.
“We had some talented seniors last year but we were just plagued by so many things out of our control that it led to a .500 record,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said. “This year, we have had a great three weeks of practice and we open up (on Friday) against Commerce, which we added to our schedule. We have eight seniors this year and most of them have a significant amount of varsity playing time. … Pitching wise, we’ve done a really good job of getting prepared for the season by throwing a lot of live pitching. So, our pitchers are in better shape than they’ve been in, and our hitters have seen more live pitching, too.”
The Wildcats welcome back senior catcher McKaylie Forrest, senior OF Baylie Bowers, senior SS Abbie Carpenter, senior P Chloe Patterson, senior 1B Maelynn Garrett, a three-year starter at first, senior 2B Grace Johnson, senior IF Jordyn Baker, senior UTL Trinity Drake, senior OF Avery Bradford, junior OF Tatiyana Douglas, sophomore 3B Beclynn Garrett and sophomore P Carleigh Kinnaird, who could also see time in the outfield.
“I think having our infield set.” Cummins said when asked, aside from pitching, what she felt the team’s biggest strengths will be. “They played a lot over the summer and looked good at our team camp and over these first few weeks. I think we will have really good infield play. … I hope we have a little more power this year at the plate, so that is something we are looking for. It has been a big focus these last few weeks.”
Neosho is also expected to have a few younger kids to contribute to the varsity squad this year—sophomore INF/OF Avyn Blair, freshman P/UT Olivia Emery and freshman OF Autumn Kinnaird, sister of Carleigh.
“We have had some good, healthy competition (this offseason),” Cummins said. “We have put them in some pressure situations early on during practice and I think we will benefit from that.
“Autumn brings speed from the left side and can hit anywhere in the lineup,” Cummins said when asked what the new varsity faces bring to the team. “She can hit, she can slap and she can bunt. She is a little Lili (Graue)esque but with more pop. Aidyn has been working in the outfield and she is a really strong kid. She is a hard worker and has a great attitude. Olivia can play second base, she can play the outfield and she can pitch. She can swing it a little bit and is a great base runner.”
If you didn’t notice by the list of players at the varsity level, one of the biggest strengths this season, aside from the bevy of experience, will be the pitching depth with Patterson, Carleigh Kinnaird and Emery all expected to see time in the circle.
“I think we are going to be pretty successful,” Cummins said when asked about the depth and talent in the circle for the Wildcats. “Chloe has the most varsity experience, but Carleigh got in a lot of games last year. And Olivia plays a lot in the summer, so we are going to see her on the mound quite a bit, too. They are all unique, which is exciting for me—to see them work as a staff.”
The biggest question heading into the season for the Wildcats will be who lines up in the outfield. With so much talent and depth, the position chart may be always evolving depending on who is playing well.
“Our infield is pretty set with Maelynn at first as a three-year starter, McKaylie a four-year starter behind the plate, Beclynn, who was an all-region as a freshman and was pretty close to being all-state, then Abbie Carpenter at shortstop, who I think was second-team all-district,” Cummins said. “Second was a little bit of a competition, but Grace Johnson, a senior, has won that job.
“As far as the outfield, it is going to be whoever is hitting, and they know that. We have had that conversation extensively. If you’re hitting, you’re going to be able to play because we have seven or eight kids who are pretty similar (defensively). Since we have that, we have to narrow it down to our best three or four who are hitting.”
Neosho opens the season hosting Commerce High School at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
“Originally, we didn’t have Commerce on our schedule, which was a little bit of a mess,” Cummins said. “We only had like 26 games and we can play 36 total. … We looked around and Commerce was willing to come to us—we wanted a couple more home games—and so it worked out really nicely. The girls get to play a little bit early and it’s varsity only so the JV kids get to see how it works with them all in the dugout. And we have a home football game, the first game of the season. It’s going to be a really fun day tomorrow and our girls are looking forward to it. We have new uniforms and they’re really excited to wear those. This is the most excited I’ve been since coming here to start our first game.”
