SOFTBALL: Trojans anxious to take that next step

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BY BRIAN HUXMAN
With a strong nucleus of upperclassmen, including an all-state shortstop, the Hillsboro High School softball team wants to take one more step toward playoff success this season under head coach Carolyn Long.



The Trojans are coming off a 16-6 season in which they came one victory short of their first state playoff berth. The previous year, the first for the program, Hillsboro finished 9-9 and lost in the first round of regionals.



Long hopes playing in a league for the first time will help the team this year as well as strengthen the program for the future.



The league will include some familiar MCAA faces: Haven, Nickerson, Lyons, Hesston, Smoky Valley and Wichita Collegiate. Moundridge, Inman, Marion and Canton-Galva will add some nontraditional faces to the mix.



?Having a league benefits everyone,? Long said. ?It gives all those teams a chance to play a good number of games and it is good for the future of all those softball programs.?



Another plus this year will be additional junior varsity games. Last season, Hillsboro played only six JV games. This year, each of the 10 scheduled dates includes a JV doubleheader, too.



?We are going to be able to play a lot of (junior varsity) games, which is definitely a positive for some of the girls who wouldn?t get to play as much varsity,? Long said.



The Trojans will be led this year by seniors Sara Janzen and Josie Loewen.



Janzen was an all-state selection a year ago and has been a mainstay at the crucial shortstop position since the Trojans began their program.



Janzen finished last season with a potent .456 batting average. She also led the team in hits (31), runs scored (33), singles (24), doubles (5), slugging percentage (.603), walks (21) and on-base percentage (.589). She struck out only four times all season.



Not only was Janzen solid on offense, she finished with a fielding percentage of .872.



?Sara is really a great player,? Long said. ?She and Josie Loewen have been tremendous leaders, athletes and individuals for this team. They definitely provide a good nucleus for us this season and I think they will lead us in every way.



?I?m going to look to both of them to help us out,? she added. ?Josie is on the mound, which is, of course, a critical part of the game, and Sara plays shortstop. So they fill two big shoes out there.?



As members of the inaugural team three years ago, Loewen and Janzen are determined to move the program forward this season, Long said.



?They?ve taken a lot of pride in taking the program from the start to where it is now,? she said. ?A lot of sweat equity has been put into building this program and making it what it is. They are the ones I credit for that. They have taken the program under their wing and made it.?



Joining Loewen on the mound will be sophomore Holly Lindsay, who was the Trojans? other starter last season.



Loewen posted a 7-4 record last season with 40 strikeouts and an earned-run average of 2.50. Lindsay was 9-2 with 52 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.57. Loewen had a slight edge in innings, 70 to 68.



Long said the experience gained by her two pitchers last season should pay dividends this year.



?Holly and Josie right now are looking solid and will be the ones that throw for us again this year,? she said. ?Their experience will be a real key for us.?



The team of 24 players is comprised of the two seniors, eight juniors, six sophomores and eight freshmen.



Of the 24 players, nine filled starting roles a season ago. The outfield lost two starters.



?We have a very strong team up the middle with Josie and Holly on the mound, Sara at short and Julie Wall and Angela Herzet catching,? Long said.



Also returning for the Trojans is junior Dionne Jost, who led the team with 16 runs batted in last season.



Joining Long in the coaching box will be assistant Stephanie Sinclair, whose primary responsibility on game day will be making the junior varsity team a winner.



With Sinclair occupied, the first-base coaching box will be filled with other faculty on a rotating basis.



?Every game, I will have to go over the signals with the person in the first-base coaching box,? she said.



?I hope we can stay pretty consistent so we don?t have to go through everything every week.?



Hillsboro opens the season Friday afternoon with a doubleheader at Haven beginning at 4:30 p.m.

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