Softball travels to Arkansas for first games of season

Photo by Melanie Alyea

Shellby Wobken (left) and Katelyn Wobken (right) sign in a camper in WSC softball’s high school softball camp on Feb. 7. The camp was held by the WSC softball team as a fundraser to raise money for the team’s trip to Florida over spring break. The players, age 13-18, came and learned different skills at the collegiate level. All 50 campers were taught different drills to improve their hitting and fielding percentages.

Sarah Macias, Staff Writer
February 10, 2016

The Wayne State College softball program graduated seven seniors last year, have seven seniors this season and were selected seventh in the NSIC preseason coaches’ poll.

 
What does this mean for the Wildcats?

 
“Our expectations for this is year is to win conference tournament and make it to regionals,” assistant coach Krissi Oliver said. “Work hard everyday to prepare for games and buy in to the coaching staff, along with their teammates. Trust in each other and take each game one out at a time.”

 
Seniors Lexie Loos and Cassy Miller were listed as Wildcats to Watch in the NSIC this season.

 
“It’s bittersweet to be playing my last season,” Loos said. “The past four years have gone by so quickly and I still can’t believe sometimes that it’s my senior year.”

 
Loos was a First Team All-NSIC selection for the Wildcats last season after setting single-season school records for batting average (.467), hits (93), runs scored (53) and total bases (118).

 
Loos went on to earn Third Team Daktronics/Div. II CCA All-American honors, along with First Team Daktronics All-Central Region and Second Team NFCA All-Central Region honors.

 
“The team gets along pretty well, which has helped us to truly push each other and expect a lot out of our season,” Loos said. “When you’re surrounded by people who expect a lot out of each other, it makes it easier to get through early morning workouts and conditioning.”

 
Miller is Wayne State’s top returning pitcher after posting an 8-4 record last season with a 3.10 ERA while making 32 appearances (15 starts) for the Wildcats.

 
The ‘Cats have three senior pitchers and one freshman pitcher, one of the smallest pitching staffs they have had in a couple years. With a full schedule and two or three double headers in one week, how are the pitchers looking?

 
“I’m excited for the season to start. As a team, we are ready to go, and I just hope I can fill the shoes left by last years graduates,” Miller said “I know that with all of us, together, we can have a great season. I think the pitchers are looking good. We’ve been putting in a lot of work and are ready to get this season started.”

 
The Wildcats finished the 2015 season with a 34-21 overall record, tied for fifth in the Northern Sun Conference with an 18-12 league mark.

 
Wayne State is scheduled to open the 2016 season Feb. 12 at the Arkansas Monticello Tournament in Bentonville, Ark.