Hillsboro Softball Preview: HHS looks to be competitive in '16
The Hillsboro Lady Indians begin their 2016 season at home against Unioto at Alice Cassner Field, but that will be just the beginning of a spring season where they look to be competitive and have success.
HHS has 10 returning players from last season, including five seniors, two juniors and three sophomores, looking to use the experience gained from last year where the Lady Indians finished 15-10 into a better season this spring.
Seniors for the Lady Indians are: Hanna Breeden, Kerstin Thornburgh, Madison Snyder, Emily Myers and Keely Bennington. Juniors this season are Savannah Scott, Lizzy Mahan and Brenna Mottie.
Thornburgh was an All-Ohio selection last season.
Breeden, an All-District and All-SCOL selection, signed this winter to play Division I softball at Cleveland State, as she’ll not only pitch, but she can play first base and the outfield as well.
Hillsboro’s sophomores are Ashleigh Baucom, Riley Moberly and Emily Louden. Freshmen on the team are Heather Burba, Darien Eakins, Molly Ferguson and Jordan Williamson.
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“We expect our five seniors to lead the team both on and off the field this year,” HHS head coach Katie Moberly said. “Our season will go where our seniors take us. The proven abilities of our seniors, along with the talent of our underclassmen, should have us being competitive every night.”
The ace of the Lady Indians will be Breeden, while fellow senior Bennington is also listed as a pitcher and a first baseman. Thornburgh will also play a big role for the Lady Indians, and Snyder will be a shortstop. The catcher is Myers, and Louden is listed as the second baseman.
Outfielders include Scott and Baucom, and listed for the infield are Mahan, Mottie and Moberly.
HHS lost two solid senior players from last season in Ali Stratton and Kirsten Juillerat. Also last season, the Lady Indians defeated eventual league champion Clinton-Massie, that being the lone league loss for the Lady Falcons last year.
“We will greatly miss Ali Stratton and Kirsten Juillerat from last year's team,” Moberly said.
Last season, the Lady Indians won a Division II sectional game in the postseason, defeating Circleville, 7-6 at home. HHS ended their season in ’15 in the sectional finals with a 4-0 loss to Fairfield Union.
HHS will open their league slate of games in ’16 on Wednesday, March 30 at home against East Clinton. Their regular season will begin with the aforementioned game against Unioto starting at 5 p.m. Monday, March 28 in Hillsboro.