A year after playing for the Class 2A state championship, the Lake Lady Hornets stumbled to a 11-16 season last year and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Eupora.
LAKE'S SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
It didn’t take Lake long to find a new coach, snagging Jake Loper from Newton County.
That move paid instant dividends for the Lady Hornets, who responded with by winning the school’s first state championship in slow-pitch this fall.
Loper hopes that success carries over to the fast-pitch season where the Lady Hornets return every starter from last year’s squad.
“We have all of them back, and we have had some pretty good practices,” Loper said. “It has been wet, but we have done what we could. I think we have looked good for the most part. We are just ready to play somebody else and see where we are at.”
Loper said the Lady Hornets should have one of Class 2As best pitching duos in junior Taylor Duncan and freshman Kate Gladney. Both pitched significant innings last year and in the 2018 season.
“I think we’re going to have good pitching,” Loper said. “I think it’s going to be a strength of our team. We don’t have an ace so to speak, but we have a 1A and 1B in Taylor Duncan and Kate Gladney. They have both thrown it good. A lot of the time, teams have one good pitcher, but we will be able to throw two out there, and I think that will help us in district play and in the playoffs.”
In the field, Abby McGee and Katlyn Lott will see time at catcher, while senior Landry LeBlanc is expected to hold down first. Laurel Breland will be return at second base while either Duncan or Gladney will be at short when they’re not pitching. Senior Kaytie Hillman returns at third base.
In the outfield, Lott or McGee will be in left field while Reagan Clark and Tra’Shaylah Wilson will share time in center field. Josie Gibbs will be in right field while Brantlee McGee could see time in the infield and outfield. Alana Edmonds will also see time as a designated player.
“I think we are going to be really solid defensively,” Loper said. “I think our pitchers are going to dominate. I think we can be pretty special offensively. We have a few players that will be able to hit it. We have a lot of speed and will be able to put some pressure on some people.”
The Lady Hornets will play in Division 6-2A with Newton, Union, Scott Central and defending state champion Philadelphia.
“Philadelphia won it last year so you don’t know,” Loper said. “They say she is out until the playoffs but you just don’t know. But with her being injured, I would say we should have a good shot at it. Union will be solid again, I’m sure. In 2A, Taylorsville and Mize are going to be pretty good. I’ve also heard that Wesson and Loyd Star are going to be pretty good as well. Class 2A is going to be tough.”
