Elk Mound softball team returns solid core for 2025 season
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ELK MOUND SOFTBALL looks to improve and challenge for a conference championship and more in the 2025 season. Front row (L to R): Alexa Severson, Alexis Joachim, Linden Kaminski, Alivia Baskin, Ellie Schiszik and Jaidynn Sarauer. Middle row (L to R): Alayna Pope, Hailey Webb, Hailey Meyer, Autumn Moquin, Elli Beskow, Brooke Svihovec and Teagan Mayer. Back row (L to R): Samantha Kopp, Madison Dittner, Kendra Garnett, Lexi Solberg and Emerson Cassellius. Not pictured is Lanae Scheffler.
—photo submitted
by Marlys Kruger
Sports Correspondent
ELK MOUND — After returning virtually their whole team that finished 11-10 overall and 10-4 in Dunn-St. Croix Conference play a year ago, the Elk Mound softball team has high hopes of moving up from their second-place finish in the conference this year.
Jazmyn Shafer is gone from the team via graduation after playing early on before suffering a season ending injury. That means there are plenty of experienced players back for the Mounders including four All-Conference picks. Seniors Hailey Meyer and Ellie Schiszik were both first-team selections, while sophomore Kendra Garnett was chosen second team and junior Jaidynn Sarauer was honorable mention.
Due to a few in-season injuries and absences, the Mounder’s roster depth was tested last season, according to second-year head coach Kevin Meyer. This led to numerous players getting game experience, resulting in returning a large number of letter winners (12) this season. Those players include seniors Alivia Baskin, Alexis Joachim, Teagan Mayer, Hailey Meyer, Sarauer, Schiszik and Alexa Severson as well as juniors Elli Beskow, Autumn Moquin and Brooke Svihovec. Sophomores Garnett and Alexandria Solberg also contributed to the varsity last season.
Coach Meyer expects all that experience will be a big asset this season. The roster has a large, tight knit senior class, many of whom have started a lot of games for the past two or three years, giving the Mounders a solid floor of talent.
Shortstop Schiszik will be counted on to provide a spark at the top of the batting lineup as she anchors the infield defense. Hailey Meyer returns as one of the top pitchers in the conference and will also be counted on to provide power to the batting lineup. Sarauer is back at the catcher position and has made great strides improving both as a hitter and controlling the game behind the plate while second baseman Garnett has shown the ability to cover considerable ground in the field and also adds power and speed to the batting order.
Four freshmen on the roster will add some depth, too.
A strength for the team is its depth. The eight seniors on the team will be counted on to lead the Mounders. Having 12 returning letter winners provide lineup options and depth for in-game adjustments. But, with team depth also comes competition for playing time which is a good thing, according to coach Meyer.
“I expect all players on our roster to hustle and compete for their position on the field and in the batting lineup,” he stated.
Pitching has also been a strength of the team for several seasons, including last year when the Mounders allowed the fewest runs in conference games, and the team this year has more pitching depth. The anticipated lineup will have several positions with above average gloves.
Weaknesses include consistent hitting, especially against top competition. In tough games, the Mounder hitters gave away too many at bats last season and the team will look to improve on putting pressure on opposing defenses.
Goals for the team are to improve throughout the season and compete for a conference championship. Coach Meyer states to make that goal a reality, numerous players will be counted on to step up. Statistical goals include improving the run differential and reducing errors in the field to less than two a game.
Returning conference champion Colfax along with Boyceville are expected to field strong teams this year, according to coach Meyer. Colfax has several top players in the conference and returns much of their lineup that led the league in nearly every offensive category, and has strong pitching. Boyceville has a lot of young talent on the mound and in the field.
“I expect most D-SC teams to be improved from last year, as for the second year in a row, the majority of last season’s all-conference honorees were juniors and underclassmen,” Meyer concluded.