Woodrow, East looking to veteran pitchers

Woodrow, East looking to veteran pitchers

By Dan Stillwell
Register-Herald Sports Writer

Experienced Woodrow Wilson and Greenbrier East squads hope for improvement while Nicholas County turns to youth as area Class AAA teams enter the new high school softball season.

--- Woodrow Wilson

An experienced mound corps should help the Flying Eagles in their quest to improve on last season’s 8-12 mark.

Senior right-hander Makaila Hutchens will be joined on the mound by junior Amber MacDonald and sophomore Christine Czekaj.

Hutchens is the most experienced and has a variety of pitches.

“Makaila has a very smooth delivery,” coach Charles Durrett said. “She has a fluid motion and doesn’t waste energy with a windup.”

Three other seniors will have starting roles, including third baseman Chelsea Ballard, who batted .350 last season, center fielder Tanesa Walls and catcher Kortney Motley.

Other returnees include sophomore Ashley Jones at second base and MacDonald at shortstop.

Sophomores Eva March and Tara Lambert have earned starts at left and right field. First base is up for grabs among several players.

“We’ve got a good nucleus of girls back and I’m thinking very positive,” Durrett said. “We’ve got some new players in key positions, but I’m very confident from what I’ve seen so far..”

Former Woodrow and Concord University pitcher Emily (Peterson) Dempsey will assist Durrett this season, replacing Katy Tabor.



--- Greenbrier East

Having lost just three starters from last year’s 13-12 club, Spartans coach Bruce Bowling is cautiously optimistic about the new season.

“We’ve got most of the team back, so we’ll be better than we were last year,” he said. “But it’s going to be tough in the MSAC.”

Senior hurler Shannon Hedrick got East off to a good start last week with a strong performance against Nitro.

“Shannon had hurt her shoulder a month ago and I was concerned,” Bowling said. “But she came out real strong the other night.”

The Spartans have just one other senior starter in catcher Brooke Hinkle, but have experience at three of the four infield spots and at left field.

Junior Kate Bowling returns at first while Danielle Gessie-Hanlin moves from second base to shortstop. Both are juniors.

Sophomore Katie Hunter is back at third base and junior Emily McDowell, a strong hitter, has moved from center field to left.

New starters include senior Corie Lynch in center and sophomores Cynthia Huffman at second base and Katie Keaton in right field.

Three freshmen — pitcher Tessa Honaker, infielder Liza Honaker and catcher Lante Cole — will also help.



--- Nicholas County

All-state catcher Amanda Jenkins, arguably the area’s finest power hitter, will lead a young Grizzlies squad into action.

Jenkins, a senior, hit seven home runs and batted .460 last year for Nicholas (19-8-1).

“Amanda hits the ball harder than any girl I’ve ever seen, even in practice,” coach Marie Shaffer said. “She also has a rocket arm and she’s quick for her (5-foot-10) size. She can get down the line really quick.”

Other returning starters include senior first baseman Tasha Hughes, junior shortstop Kim Nutter, third baseman-pitcher Morgan Elswick and junior center fielder Ashley Neff.

Hughes is moving to first from right field. Nutter, who currently has an injured arm, batted .390 last season while Elswick compiled a .290 average.

New starters are junior Alex Fitzwater or freshman Stacy Haney in right field, freshman Katie Shaffer at second base and freshman Erica Bradford in left field.

Senior Shannon Shaffer will pitch and play third base while junior pitcher Carol Tincher and freshman catcher Leni Childers will also see action.

“We’ll be real young and play a lot of ninth graders,” Marie Shaffer said. “But I think we’ll win a few games.”

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