Familiar faces back for softball

By ADAM STEWART

News editor

The Marion Warriors softball team will have five seniors returning from last year’s team. Seniors Chelsea Voth, Jay Dee Schafers, Montana Percell, Balee Shiplet, and Andrea Nordquist give the team an experienced core.

Pitcher Megan Richmond, a junior, further adds experience to the team.

But six players doesn’t make a softball team. The Warriors have 21 players total.

“I believe there will be some freshmen that will make not only some appearances, but a significant impact,” head coach Jennifer Felvus said. “One of those freshmen specifically is Bailey Robson.”

The team is loaded with pitchers, Felvus said. There are six pitchers on the team: two seniors, Voth and Percell; two juniors, Richmond and Megan Davies; and two freshmen, Kayla Kroupa and Shyla Harris.

“I am excited to see what they all bring to the table,” she said.

The beginning of the season has been productive, Felvus said. She thinks the team will be up to speed when it begins competition March 26 at home against Herington.

“Several players have shown significant improvement in multiple areas, but I need to give a shout out to the outfielders as a whole,” she said. “Led by senior Balee Shiplet, that group has dove headfirst into the challenges I have laid out for them and are quickly checking them off.”

Felvus said she doesn’t have her lineup set, but she does have some ideas.

“I am really torn at some places,” she said. “I asked the girls at the first practice to work so hard that the decision of what nine take the field will be one of the most difficult I ever make. They have definitely done so.”

Felvus and the players have thought about their goals for the season, and goal number one is improvement.

“To call this season a success, we are looking for more wins than last year, making the magic number seven,” she said. “However, the girls have mapped out the goals for the season, and I can assure you they have no intention of stopping there.”

Felvus is in her first year coaching Marion softball, but not her first year coaching. She played all through high school in Junction City and one year at MidAmerica Nazarene University. She has coached recreation and travel teams, as well as private lessons. Most of her coaching has been with the Chapman Lady Irish tournament team. She is assisted by Chad Adkins and Jill Hudson.