Lady Indians ready to shine
by Matthew P. Garrett |
RICHFIELD SPRINGS — If the Richfield Springs softball team is going
to be a contender this 2005 season, several inexperienced players will
have to mature into starting roles left vacant by last year’s graduates.
Gone from last season’s Section III quarterfinal-round playoff team
are Adriane Spytko and Breanne Bond, the only two Lady Indians who saw
any time at all pitching in 2004. Spytko struck out 57 batters against
just 12 walks during a 7-5 senior campaign, while Bond hit .451 at the
plate with a team-high 14 RBIs and seven stolen bases.
Other key graduates that will be sorely missed include .411 hitter
Amber Bond and her team-best 11 walks, .300-plus hitters Christine Kerr
and Jessica Hula, as well as Chrissy Lopez.
Making her highly-anticipated return, however, is senior standout
Jessika Coones. Last season’s team leader in most of the major
offensive statistical categories, Coones had a club-best .463 batting
average in 54 at-bats, while also leading the way in hits (25), doubles
(4), triples (3), and home runs (2). She’ll be joined in the starting
lineup this spring by fellow returnees Lynzie Bond (11 hits in just 25
at-bats as a sophomore in ’04), Kaitlin Bello, Kayla Sadlon, Nicole
Seamon, and Becky Conlan.
Seniors Kayley Grampp (a transfer student from Kentucky) and
Cathleen Delrossi (a pitcher competing for the first time since the
eighth grade) are varsity newcomers under head coach Joe Pestar along
with Sheena Burdick, Lauren Richards, Shelby Seamon, and Brittany
Burdick.
“I don’t think a lot of teams are expecting us to do that well
because we don’t have the pitching,” said Coones when asked about the
season’s outlook. “But with our defense, all we have to do is get a
stick on the ball and we’ll be all right.”
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