Ryan Land | Sports Editor
Brooklynne Simbeck, freshman #1 pitcher and general studies/pre-nursing major, pitches during a Feb. 15 game against Lake Land Community College.
Ryan Land
Sports Editor
The Lady ‘Riders softball team’s 2014 campaign came to a close on April 26, after an 8-3 loss to Jefferson College during the Region 16 tournament in Columbia, Mo.
The team opened up their participation in the tournament on April 24 by taking a first round bye before defeating North Central in the second round on April 25. After a 6-1 loss to Three Rivers just hours prior to their season ending game, the Lady ‘Riders knew that a win would have to come from a difficult Jefferson team in order to keep their quest for a national tournament apperance alive.
John Sisemore, head women’s softball coach and physical education instructor, quoted the reason behind the final two losses in the tournament had to do with the health status of the team throughout the ending portions of the regular season.
“We went into the final two games not being healthy and going into the last part of the season not being on the mound,” Sisemore stated. “Our starting short stop also wasn’t completely healthy either.”
The team ended their season with an overall record of 39-12, 18-5 in Region 16 play during Sisemore’s first year as head coach. Sisemore also quoted great performances by everyone were key to the successes throughout the season.
“Great performance…way above what we expected,” Sisemore said.
According to Sisemore, the team will have a lot of holes to fill for next season, as five sophomores will graduate on May 17.
“Our entire outfield this year had never played outfield before,” said Sisemore. “Coming back next year, we have to replace that and then we have to replace basically the heart of our infield, as well as half of our pitching staff. I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be easy…it’s going to be very hard and at this level, you’re pretty much replacing a majority of your team every year.”
Looking forward to next season, Sisemore, who will be in his second year as head coach of the Lady ‘Riders, looks to fill those holes.
“We want to be more solid defensively,” Sisemore stated. “We were basically playing out of position all year long, so we’d like to fill all those positions with true position players instead of just borrowing and picking from other positions.”
Courtney Folk, freshman #18 general studies major, has one goal in mind that was not achieved this year due to being knocked out in the region tournament.
Folk admitted, “Win a national tournament.”
Payton Appleberry, sophomore #14 outfielder and general studies major, Andrea Drake, sophomore #9 infielder and general studies major, Theresa Collins, freshman #15 catcher and general studies/criminal justice major, Allison Tonyan, sophomore #19 pitcher and general studies major, and Brooklynne Simbeck, freshman #1 pitcher and general studies/nursing major, were named to the 2014 NJCAA Division 1 First Team All-Region 16 team, while Payton Wiedner, freshman #8 infielder/outfielder and general studies major, and Johnica Hanke, sophomore #12 infielder and general studies/pre-nursing major, earned Region 16 tournament honors.
Along with Appleberry, Drake, Tonyan and Hanke, Brittany Wagnon, sophomore #20 infielder and biology/pre-medical major, will graduate as well.
Leave a Reply