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Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Softball preview: Lincolnview Lady Lancers

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

With a lot of returning firepower, Lincolnview should be a fun team to watch if the 2020 softball season is played.

According to a revised spring sports schedule released by the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Wednesday, if classes resume on May 4, practices will begin the same day and the season will begin as early as May 9.

Junior Destiny Coil is back to lead Lincolnview’s offensive attack. She’s in the state record book in several different categories. VW independent file photo

Head coach Brad Doidge (16th season, 185-160) lost a quartet of four year letter winners to graduation (Lakin Brant, Morgan Miller and Carly Wendel) but has 10 returning letter winners to work with, including senior Tori Boyd, who’s lettered three times, and junior Destiny Coil, a two-time letter winner who was a second team All-NWC and honorable mention All Northwest District selection in 2019.

Coil etched her way into the OHSAA record book last year with three hits in one inning, most home runs in an inning, most home runs in a game and most RBIs in a game.

Other two year letter winners from last year’s 16-8 team include senior Jo Allen, juniors Winter Boroff, Annie Mendenhall and Hanna Young, plus sophomore letter winners Heather Beair, Andi Webb, Kendall Bollenbacher (honorable mention NWC, first team All-District) and Zadria King.

“With talented letter winners coming back, the experience of playing multiple years on the varsity level helps tremendously,” Doidge said. “We can expand what we do well and work on the things to get better at what we need to get better at.”

“Hitting seems to be a big strength of our team,” Doidge continued. “We can hit for power or base hits and we hit well with runners in scoring position. Pitching is always a work in progress. Gaining experience and overall ability to pitch well or better is always something we strive to do better.”

Before practices were stopped by the shutdown of Ohio schools, pitching was a focal point for the Lady Lancers.

“We tried to intersquad scrimmage as much as possible to put the players in game-like situations,” Doidge explained. “Limited practice time if we get back will probably hurt the pitching staff the most. The ability to pitch and catch is just not available. Throwing strikes and hitting spots will be a concern.”

This season’s pitching staff includes Boroff, Beair, Bollenbacher, and freshmen Zada Walker and Braxton Sherrick.

Coil, Mendenhall, Young, Boyd, Bollenbacher, Beair and Makayla Jackman will see time at the infield positions, while Allen, Webb, Beair, Boroff and King will patrol the outfield at various times. Senior Destiny Brown, sophomores Katrina Behrens and Courtney Minyoung and freshman Emma Klausing are expected to be key subs.

It appears if the season is indeed played, the schedule will likely focus on the Northwest Conference.

“If we do get back to playing, I would assume that we would try to get the conference schedule completed and provide the opportunity for athletes to get conference recognition,” Doidge said.

The veteran coach, who has Heather Brickner and Chad Webb as assistants, also said Bluffton, Paulding and Crestview are the main contenders for the conference title and he noted the rest of the NWC is a threat and a solid test.

POSTED: 04/09/20 at 3:47 am. FILED UNDER: Sports