Lady Bulldogs return several letter winners for 2023 softball season
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BOYCEVILLE’S SOFTBALL TEAM is looking to improve on its third-place conference finish from a year ago. Front row (L to R): Zoey Hillstead, Hannah Dunn, Mariah Marvin, Olivia Ponath, Cambrie Reisimer, Jadynn Traxler, Emma Dunn and Paige Fenton. Middle row (L to R): Cora Leslie, Delaney Olson, Zoey Hellendrung, Trisha Berg, Jasmine Morlock, Emily Fetzer, Kaitlyn Mittlestadt and Abby Bauer. Back row (L to R): Chelsi Holden, Kendra Oestreich, Tori Stender, Makayla Nelson, Shayla Loremzana, Anna Haferman, Loralie West and Sarah Stoveren. Missing is Ali McRoberts. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
by Marlys Kruger
Sports Correspondent
BOYCEVILLE — After finishing 10-7 overall and 9-5 in Dunn-St. Conference play a year ago, the Boyceville softball team will have plenty of experienced players back in hopes of improving on that record and their third-place finish in the conference.
Gone via graduation are Libby Bygd, Ella Holden and Harper Olson, all who were named all-conference players and filled valuable positions for the team. (Bygd is now a member of the Luther College team.)
Returning are all conference infielder senior Olivia Ponath who batted .283, along with senior center fielder Cambrie Reisimer who batted .256. Both players are expected to be the team leaders, according to head coach Jamie Olson as he begins his 14th season at the helm of the Bulldogs.
Sarah Stoveren will be back in left field while 2021 All Conference player Hannah Dunn will be back at shortstop. Delaney Olson returns as a right fielder and will do some pitching while Cora Leslie is back at first base. Jadynn Traxler makes her return to the infield after sitting out with a broken ankle last season, Kaitlyn Mittlestadt returns with some varsity experience and will fight for a varsity spot, and Ali McRoberts will be counted on to do the majority of the pitching this year.
Vying for various varsity spots in the infield are Trisha Berg while Mariah Marvin should add some depth to the outfield, Tori Stender will compete for the first base or outfield positions. Other upperclassmen vying for varsity spots are Emily Fetzer (3B) Makayla Nelson (OF), Abby Bauer (1B), Paige Fenton (C/IF) and Emma Dunn (IF).
Several freshmen will be challenging for some of those positions including Zoey Hellendrung, Chelsi Holden, Zoey Hillstead, Loralie West, Shayla Loremzana, Anna Haferman, Kendra Oestreich along with junior Jasmine Morlock.
Strength for the team is having experience at six positions as Olson feels very comfortable with all of those positions and the depth he has in those positions.
“The question becomes pitcher and catcher,” coach Olson said. “Girls need to step up and fill these positions with confidence and toughness. We have to be a better hitting team than last year. We struggled at times to string runs together and get clutch hits. We have to be able to manufacture runs and play good defense,” he added.
The goal for the Bulldogs is to get better every day in every aspect of the game.
Olson believes Elk Mound will be tough as always in D-SC Conference play but expects a great amount of parity among the rest of the teams.
2023 Roster
Seniors: Olivia Ponath and Cambrie Reisimer.
Juniors: Cora Leslie, Jasmine Morlock, Mariah Marvin, Kaitlyn Mittlestadt, Sarah Stoveren, Jadynn Traxler, Hannah Dunn and Ali McRoberts.
Sophomores: Abby Bauer, Trish Berg, Emma Dunn, Paige Fenton, Makayla Nelson, Tori Stender, Emily Fetzer and Delaney Olson.
Freshmen: Shayla Loremzana, Loralie West, Anna Haferman, Kendra Oestreich, Zoey Hillstead, Chelsie Holden and Zoey Hellendrung.