Pitcher, catcher anchor core of softball veterans

Coach Terry Eng and his Colfax softball crew will begin the season next week with a core of veteran players back on the roster for the new season. After returning to head the program last year, Eng has six senior players back for the new season.

The Bulldogs’ opener has been booked next Thursday with a non-league trip to Freeman. A league home opener has been scheduled for next Saturday with the LRS Broncos as guests.

Eng this year will be assisted by Lynnea Vantrease, a 2005 Colfax High softball grad. She will take the assistant coaching spot vacated by Shana Largent, now Shana Largent Bailey and a graduate student in speech and hearing at WSU-Riverpoint in Spokane.

Colfax last season finished with a 17-8 overall record, including a 3-2 run in the state 2B finals tournament in Yakima. The 3-2 posting at state landed Colfax a win short of the state trophy round.

They were derailed by Pe Ell, the defending champions, in the first day of action to go into the grinding second day format which requires three straight wins before they get a chance at the trophy round. They won two of the Saturday games but then ran into Mossyrock pitcher Jamie McLean.

Three seniors who departed the club last year were Christa Nyholm, Brooke Webber and Lauri Gay. Nyholm departs after topping the Bulldogs offense last year with a .482 batting average.

Coach Eng said the team has 11 core veteran players who will account for most of the varsity lineup. The Bulldogs actually have 31 players on the turnout list, including 14 freshmen and two eighth graders, an addition allowed under new WIAA turnout rules.

Tops on Coach Eng’s list of returnees are his pitcher and catcher. Pitcher Amy Hickman was awarded league MVP honors as a junior last year and is back in form for her senior season. Rachel Robinson worked behind the plate as a sophomore last year.

“We have our pitcher and catcher back, and that’s big in softball,” Coach Eng noted.

Around the infield they will have Taylor Larsen, a sophomore, and Kaysha Lyman, a senior, at first base. One of two other seniors, Abby Muir or Amanda Drewer, will be at second.

The Bulldogs have a total of six seniors back on the club.

Lauren Moore, also a senior and the number-two pitcher behind Hickman, will be at shortstop.

Samantha Pearson and Erin Cox, also both seniors, will be back in the outfield. They will be bolstered with players not assigned to the infield starting slots

Ciara Becker, a junior, and Scoops Hahn, a sophomore, figure to be at third base.

Softball players will be looking at the same league contenders which surfaced for the volleyball and hoop campaigns this year. Reardan and NWC, two teams which also made the state finals at Gateway last year, are back for more this spring.