Marion Softball

Optimistic Marion looks to improve in softball

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Fourth in a series of preseason Metro softball stories. Next: Prairie)

The Marion softball team is optimistic as it gears up for the 2011 season.

The Indians were a little bit disappointed with their season last year, after finishing 4-17 in the Wamac Conference and 11-20 overall.

“We had worked really hard throughout the winter last year, and we had injuries last season that hurt,” Coach Kim Knapp said. “But every game we were in we were close, just one or two runs, so we’ve got to learn how to win.”

The Indians return the core of last season's team, led by lone senior Leah Smith, who received honorable mention all-state honors last season after making the switch from center field to shortstop.  Smith, who batted .361 last season, has committed to play college softball at St. Ambrose.

“She had honors in center field,” Kim Knapp said. “I hate moving kids that have honors in certain areas, but I asked her if she would be willing to move to shortstop and she looked at me and said, ‘Anything you need coach.’ She adapted really well to it and she did a really nice job for us.”

As the lone senior on the team, Smith has also taken on a hefty leadership role this year as well.

“Leah is an all-around on the field leader,” Kim Knapp said. “She really picks us up and tries to keep everybody focused. As a senior, she feels like it’s her job to do that with the younger kids.”

Another key returner for the Indians this season is sophomore Mikayla Goematt, the Indians' No. 1 pitcher last season. Goematt pitched 188 2/3 innings last season, the third highest total in the Wamac Conference, and had a 9-16 record with a 4.27 ERA.

“She is very strong, we are very happy to have her,” said sophomore first baseman Beth Knapp, who batted .274 with 13 stolen bases. “She has a lot of movement on the ball and she gets a lot of strikeouts for us. She usually pitches to her spots so we know exactly where the ball is going to go so we are ready to field it.”

This year, Kim Knapp is hoping that two young pitchers will be able to step up and take some of those innings in relief. Goematt is also excited about having a couple of extra arms on the team.

“They will help a lot,” she said. “Haley (Vanourney) threw last year, too, and I feel like she’s improved a lot,” Goematt said. “I won’t have to make sure that I am doing well all the time. I will know that I have backup.”

Marion also has a strong eighth grade class coming in. Three eighth graders are already on the varsity roster and Kim Knapp said she is considering moving up a couple more.

“We have got a lot of tough eighth graders coming up, so we are pretty excited about them,” she said. “They are very strong. I was surprised at how strong they were. They are very fundamentally sound. We are excited that we get to play with them and bring them up.”

Kim Knapp has especially been impressed with how hard they have work already this year.

“Their work ethic has been outstanding,” she said. “They’re hard workers, they take constructive criticism well, they’re also a good bunch of all-around athletes. The eighth grade class is just pretty impressive.”