As the semester begins, so do spring sports. Baker softball has been preparing since the fall and is looking to have a successful season. The team has had three consecutive 30-win seasons, but they have their sights set on a championship this year.
Compared to previous years, the roster is very small. The team usually has 20-25 players, but this year they have 18. The makeup of the team is very different, too. They have very few players from last year’s team returning and have added nine freshmen and three transfers.
Coach Tony Austin enters his third year at Baker and thinks this team is different compared to most, “they’re just a hard-working, gritty group, and they love to play the game.” Coach Austin said. Compared to last year, this team has a different identity. “I think we have speed. Then pitching-wise, I think we’re pretty strong in the circle as well, with bringing in a couple of JUCO transfers to help us out. So, I think we’re going to be clipping on all cylinders.”
Coach Austin overhauled the coaching staff and added former players.
“Brought in Riley, Phillips. She
played three years here, at Baker. She really sets the tone; the girls respect her,” stated Coach Austin.
Then, he also added a former player he coached at Park University, Adrianna Solary who will coach the pitchers.
“We added [Solary] as our pitching coach, and she’s really got the girls structured on what they need to do, and she’s pushing them as far as stamina and explosiveness and all that.” stated Coach Austin.
The team returns the two time All American Pitcher, Kira Baker. She has been a huge piece for this team and has broken several Baker University records including, Shutouts, Earned Run Average, and No-hitters. The team also kept key starters like Rachel Pederson, Ashlee Jackman, Ava Greiner and Sydney Kill who returned from injury.
The team this year starts out in Kansas City where they’ll play a four-game set with multiple teams. Then they travel to Oklahoma to play in the NAIA SB invitational where they’ll face some of the top teams in the nation.
