BUCKHANNON -
The West Virginia Wesleyan softball team was picked to win yet another conference crown in the preseason polls, but this year things will look a little different as they must replace six starters. While there may be some growing pains along the way, the Bobcats don't plan to divert from their winning ways.
"We don't rebuild, we reload and I think that it shows that you have confidence in them and I do, they just need confidence in themselves. I know what they're capable of doing, it's just that they have to get the job done," Bobcat Head Coach Steve Warner stated.
The Bobcats have already established their dynasty. They've won 17 of the past 20 regular season conference championships and eight of the past 11 conference tournaments. Replacing the six starters will be difficult, but these players were recruited here for a reason, to continue the winning tradition.
"There's a reason he's (Coach Warner) won I think it's like 16 conference tournaments, he doesn't recruit people he doesn't think can come in and win, so if he believes that we can all win than we definitely will," junior pitcher Kaitlyn Carey said.
"Before I came here I've always been on a losing team, like always, then I come here and I'm like 'Wow, this is awesome,' so it's really like having the mentality no matter what, you're winning this game." junior infielder Paige Cummings added.
One place where the Bobcats won't be young at is in the pitchers circle. They return all 48 wins from last season in Kaitlyn Carey and Hillary Perez-Ashley. Having strong leadership from the most important position on the field should help ease some of the growing pains, but it also makes this team rely on one and other more from game to game.
"I feel a little more pressure just because this year I know I don't have for instance Kashilia (Young) who could hit a ball out of the park at will so, it's a lot more pressure to keep things in the infield keep things a little more closer," Carey added.
"Pitchers are going to keep us in the ball game. We're not going to score six or seven runs in the ball game like we did last year, I'm looking more at a lot of one run ball games so hopefully our defense can come through for us," Warner said.
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