Softball Preview: Yellow Jackets open with four games this weekend
The Defiance College softball team will begin its 2023 campaign this weekend with four games at Plummer Family Park in Edwardsville, Illinois. The Yellow Jackets will play Carroll and Millikin on Saturday, and conclude the trip with Monmouth and Illinois College on Sunday.
The Yellow Jackets are led by head coach Megan Warren. She will be in her fourth year at the helm of the program. Warren will be joined by former players Sophie Moller and Taylor Biggs and student manager AJ Gruessing.
"We are excited to get this season started. We know we graduated a lot of impactful players last year so we are excited to see some of our younger players and newcomers step into new roles. Our team has been preparing hard and I feel like we have a special group this year. The team is connected and they show up for one another every day at practice. We're eager to see what that translates to on the field", said head coach Megan Warren.
The Yellow Jackets lost some key players to graduation last year, but still bring a solid core this season including Brooke Silcox, Marissa Roberts, Amber Krause, Anika Craft, Riley Alcorn, Josilyn Guzman, and Destiny Coil.
Guzman, Roberts, and Silcox were named in the preseason poll as players to watch. Each of them appeared in all 36 games last season. Guzman sported a .325 batting average and a career-high 26 RBIs. Silcox and Roberts were both named to the All-HCAC Second Team last season. Silcox earned NFCA Division III Second Team All-Region honors and set multiple career-highs. Roberts earned NFCA Division III Third Team All-Region honors, set multiple career-highs, and now owns the Defiance softball record for most hits in a season with 60.
Other key contributors last season that will look to do the same this season include sophomores Amber Krause, Anika Craft, Destiny Coil, and junior Riley Alcorn.
Krause played in 24 games last year and recorded 15 hits, 11 RBIs, and tallied 149 putouts. Craft saw action on the mound and in the field. She compiled a 7-4 record with 76 strikeouts and batted .259 with four stolen bases. Coil was named First Team All-HCAC. She finished the year with five home runs, 31 RBIs, 12 walks, a .366 average, .436 on base percentage, and .594 slugging percentage. Alcorn finished with a record of 3-0, pitched 23 innings with one complete game and struck out 15 batters.
Other Yellow Jackets that saw playing time last season that will look to contribute again this year include Laney Grimwood, Natalee Cooper, Savannah McCoy, Kelly Limbaugh, and Genesis Brooks.
Overall, the roster consists of six freshmen, seven sophomores, six juniors, and seven seniors.
The Yellow Jackets have 16 games scheduled before their home opener. Their home opener is currently set for March 25 against Albion.