hile winter sports are in full swing, the spring sports are starting to wrap up off-season workouts as they prepare for a new season which is rapidly approaching.
One team looking to get off to a great start is the slow-pitch softball team at Guthrie High School. Under the leadership of head coach Booker Blakley, who also coaches the fastpitch team in the fall. Blakley said several players are back this season.
“We’re returning about 6-7 starters off of last year’s slow-pitch team,” said Blakley.
Leaning on the experience of having played in some big games, coach Blakley is hopeful the Lady Jays can use that experience to help them in early contests. But as the season presses forward, their experience down the stretch could be the difference.
“Hopefully the thing that carries over for us is the experience of being in big time moments, nothing replaces that type of experience so I hope that the girls can use that to be successful,” said Blakley.
Known for being a team that can hit the ball and hit it well, Blakley said their presence at the plate and knowing what pitch they want to hit, will be a focus this season as it is every season.
“We don’t make a ton of adjustments from one season to another. Timing at the plate exists whether the ball is coming in at 60mph or 40mph. We just have to understand what type of pitch we want to hit and look for that type of pitch,” said Blakley.
One area of the team that everyone is focused on improving is defense. While it may not be an area the team needs a ton of work, it can always get better and that is something coach Blakley wants his players focused on and working to improve with every practice and every game.
“Our main priority in slow pitch is honestly defense. Usually, the team that gives up the least free bases or free runs is the team that is on top at the end. That’s what we prepare for and what we try to do,” said Blakley.
Keep an eye on players like McKenna Tucker (Sr.) who will start in the infield, Katelynn Siess (Sr.) at pitcher, and Ava Hebensperger (Jr.) in the outfield.
The 2024 schedule is set to be released soon as the Lady Jays look for their first state title in the sport of softball. Overall, Guthrie High School has 33 state titles with their last title coming in boys golf in 2019.
