The Union Lady Yellowjackets struggled through the 2019 season with a young team.
UNION FASTPITCH SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
Fortunately for the Lady Yellowjackets, most of those players return for coach Jacob Casey, who likes the experience he has returning this season.
“I feel confident going in with the fact that we have a pitcher coming back who has been pitching for a couple of years for us now,” Casey said. “She pitched some as an eighth grader and is now a junior. And I feel confident in that aspect of the game. Defensively, we will be pretty good I think. Offense is what we are going to have to work on. We will have to manufacture some runs. If we will play some defense, I think we will have a chance to win a lot of games.”
On the mound, junior Britili Cleveland returns as the Lady Yellowjackets’ No. 1 starter. She will be backed up by senior Dallas Brown and seventh grader Alanee Wheeler, whom Casey said will likely see some varsity innings this year.
“I’d have to say that we have more depth pitching than we ever have since I’ve been at Union,” Casey said. “We don’t have that dominant strikeout pitcher, but Britili is going to hit her spots. She has done that throughout her career. She will keep us in games if we will play defense and score some runs for her.”
On the infield, junior Anna Grace Blount returns behind the plate after starting there last year. She will split time with sophomore D.D. Hunter.
At first base, Casey said junior Jordan Turner and Wheeler are competing for playing time. At second base, junior Abby Jenkins returns while freshman Kaylee Holley is pushing for playing time. At shortstop, Brown will be there when not pitching while Wheeler, sophomore McKinlee McDanile and freshman Faith Stevens are competing for playing time.
In the outfield, Casey said D’Shayla Jackson returns as a starter while senior Kayleigh Vance, sophomore Kenley Pullin and TyShia Jackson are competing for playing time.
“Offensively, we only lost one senior, so we have most of them returning,” Casey said. “We weren’t great on offense last year, but we have been successful at working pitchers and playing small ball, being aggressive and running the bases. I just see us trying to be the same way this year.”
Casey said the key to winning for the Lady Yellowjackets is staying hungry and aggressive.
“We need them buying in and staying competitive and hungry at practice every day,” Casey said. “We need them showing up and working hard, doing those little things well every day. I feel like if we pitch and play defense, we will win some games. Hopefully, we can win a lot more than we don’t.”
Union will compete in Division 6-2A with defending slow-pitch champ Lake, defending fast-pitch champion Philadelphia, Newton and Scott Central.
“With (Nia) Luckett, Philadelphia is the real deal, without here, I don’t know what to expect,” Casey said. “They are 2A champions and used to winning. Lake is going to be very talented and won slow pitch and is loaded with upper class talent. Those two teams are going to be tough. Scott graduated a few but will be competitive. We will have to show up and play hard and play well if we expect to win in the district.”
