It isn’t every day that you see one of your high school teams ranked nationally. Let alone, in the top 20. This is where Blade’s softball team finds themselves, even before a pitch has been thrown.
Although it seems premature to rank teams this early, the rankers must have liked the experience and the coaching that the Edwardsville softball program has always provided.
The team as a whole has an immense amount of experience. They advanced to the Elite Eight in the 2014 season against Lincoln-Way East. The girls left the bases loaded in a one run loss: one hit away from going to state.
The team only lost two seniors from the 36-4 campaign last year. 2014 seniors Olivia Nicholls and Anna Walschleger will be the only Tigers that are not returning to the squad.
The 2015 team, led by All-State pitcher, and SLU commit Kallen Loveless, will look to return to state.
“We are working hard every single day as a team towards our goal of a state championship,” Loveless said.
Behind the dish, three sport athlete Amaya Dycus, will continue practicing, after participating in volleyball and basketball. This is Dycus’s first year in Edwardsville since freshman year, where she moved back home from Hawaii. She will share time with freshman Taryn Brown at catcher as well.
An all senior infield includes Torrie Kruse at first base, Ari Arnold (William Woods) at shortstop, Sara Radae (McKendree) and Jordan Corby will share time at second base and Katelyn Bobrowski will handle the hot corner. The girls will be poised and experienced in 2015 to win a state championship.
The outfield includes the All-State centerfielder, Rachel Anderson, who led the team with a .450 average in 2014, with six homeruns and 16 doubles.
“I want to go to state,” Anderson said. “We are going to take it one game at a time and work hard in practice to make each other better.”
The corner outfield includes Hayli Green in left and Megan Radae (McKendree) in right field.
MaxPreps.com ranked Edwardsville softball 11th in the nation in the preseason rankings, increasing the pressure of a team with high expectations.
When asked if being ranked nationally changes expectations, junior hitter, Jordan Corby responded, “Not at all. We all come into the season with extremely high expectations that we plan on living up to.”
Along with being in the top 20 in the nation, head Coach Lori Blade pushes the girls to play to their best ability.
“She gives us the opportunity every single day and drives us to do so,” Loveless said.
The girls lead off their season on March 23 against Gillespie at Gillespie at 4:30.
