Page 35 - RVO Diamond Roundup March 2017

RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASEBALL & SOFTBALL REVIEW | SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017
35VV
SACRED HEART LADY REBELS
Lady Rebels work to overcome inexperience
CHRIS RODGERS/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Sacred Heart senior third baseman Lexie Dunham fields a ground ball during practice.
BY TAMMY KEITH
SENIOR WRITER
The Lady Rebels are young this season, but coach Kyle Duvall still has high expectations.
Returning starters include two ex- perienced seniors, Lexie Dunham and Bailey Blevins, and solid sophomores Jenna Chadek and Grace Simpson.
Duvall will rely on shortstop Dunham, who hit .326 in the 2016 season, as well as Blevins, who had two home runs and hit .302.
“They’re going to be trying to lead us back where we want to be this year,” Duvall said.
Dunham “has a great arm and great range,” Duvall said. The coach also pointed to Lexie to be “our best base stealer and overall base runner.”
Conference: 1A-5 North
Coach: Kyle Duvall
Assistant coach: Allen Andrews 2016 record: 10-6
Mascot: Lady Rebels
Returning starters: Lexie Dunham,
Bailey Blevins, Jenna Chadek and Grace Simpson
“Our strength is going to be infield defense,” the coach said.
In the catcher position, Blevins is blessed with a good arm. “She can throw to all bases with great velocity and accuracy,” Duvall said.
On the mound, the coach said, he will lean heavily on Chadek, who pitched in relief last season.
Inexperience is the team’s main weakness,
SACRED HEART SOFTBALL
MARCH 27 ........... SOUTH SIDE BEE BRANCH* MARCH 28 ........................... @WONDERVIEW* APRIL 3 ...........................................BIGELOW APRIL 6 .................@MOUNT VERNON-ENOLA* APRIL 10 .........................CONWAY CHRISTIAN APRIL 11 ....................................@QUITMAN* APRIL 18 ................................ GUY-PERKINS* APRIL 20 ......................................... @DOVER
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
but that just takes time to overcome, the coach said.
“I expect this group to work hard and improve on a daily basis to achieve our goals,” Duvall said. “We are going to be very young in key positions but look forward to the season.”
WONDERVIEW LADY DAREDEVILS
‘Doing the little things’ should benefit Wonderview
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
The No. 1 goal for the Wonderview Lady
Daredevils this season is to get better every game.
“That is definitely a top goal,” Won- derview head coach Robert Edwards said. “And it all starts with our conference and district, which are extremely competitive.”
Wonderview finished 8-10 last season, fin- ishing runner-up in the 1A-5 North Confer- ence. The Lady Daredevils return starters this
Conference: 1A-5 North Coach: Robert Edwards Assistant coach: Mike Wright 2016 record: 8-10
Mascot: Lady Daredevils Returning starters: Brooke
Zimmerman, Bailey Wright, Emily Stracner, Shelby Reynolds, Macey Jo Looney and Breanna Gottsponer
year, including pitchers Brooke Zimmerman, a junior, and sophomore Bailey Wright.
“Brooke is our main pitcher, and she has
pitched for us the past three seasons,” Edwards said. “We rely on her a lot, so once we get past her, we don’t have many options.”
Edwards said that while Wright, who com- mitted to the University of Louisiana at Mon- roe, did contribute in the circle last year, the coaches try to keep her on the field as much as possible.
“We can plug her in anywhere,” Edwards said. “She is a great overall player.”
Wright led the team with a .523 batting av- erage and a .639 on-base percentage, including 25 hits, two home runs and 22 stolen bases.
Sophomore Emily Stracner caught every inning last year.
“She never got a break, but she never asked for one, either,” Edwards said. “She is tough as they come. She is a great defensive player and has a great softball mind.”
Edwards said Stracner has never pitched before, but it is something she would like totry.
“We are going to work with her some and see if we can use her some,” Stracner said.
WONDERVIEW continued on 36VV
SACRED HEART REBELS
SACRED BASEBALL continued from 34VV Although Zakk Hoelzeman didn’t have many
home runs last year, he has the potential to be a power hitter for the next few years, the coach added.
“Zakk has spent a lot of time in the offseason in the weight room. He has a big swing, and when he connects, the ball jumps off his bat,” Duvall said.
Kersey brings speed to the lineup. “When Tyler gets on base, he has the ability to move
quickly. He is an aggressive base runner and, with his 6-2 frame, takes very long strides,” Duvall said.
At this point in the season, games to watch are against Wonderview on March 30 and at Mount Vernon-Enola on April 6.
Duvall has high hopes for his team, but he’s realistic, too.
“While Sacred Heart returns six starters from a team that won 12 games and a conference title last season, the Rebels need to find arms after Chapman,” Duvall said. “There are a lot of capa-
ble players who will compete for open starting spots. Three freshmen started in the outfield last season, and all return a year older and stronger. The infield should be solid as well.
“The Rebels’ offense struggled at times last season, which could be due to the youth of that team. If the Rebels can develop a few arms behind Chapman and find a way to put up a few more runs, the defense should be strong enough to hold teams and propel Sacred Heart into the regional tournament, and perhaps even the state tourna- ment for the 14th consecutive season.”