LAPEL — By virtue of the pandemic, the Lapel Bulldogs softball team is the defending sectional champion.
The Bulldogs’ 2019 title remained intact because of the loss of the 2020 season.
What is significant about the 2020 no-season is the Bulldogs had no seniors on their roster, and this year Coach Scott Rich is leading a team with a mix of veterans and new faces.
“It’s not bad,” Rich said. “We have seniors, juniors, sophomores and some freshmen. It’s good, and we’re excited to be back.”
On the mound this season will be senior Avery Bailey and freshman Krystin Davis.
Sophomore Jordan Tracy is going through rehab for her knee, and her status is uncertain.
Bailey, as a sophomore, won seven games for the Bulldogs and had a 1.88 ERA.
Two of the Bulldogs’ power hitters on that sectional team are back as well.
Senior Lily Daniels and junior Ashlynn Allman played in every game that season. They led the team with seven home runs each.
Allman had a .388 batting average, while Daniels was just behind her with a .372.
According to Rich, preseason batting practice has been going well for Daniels and Allman, as well as for seniors Chloe Tucker and Hayley Granger.
Add to the mix juniors Makayla Smethers and Taylor Williams, and the Bulldogs could be a formidable hitting team.
“At any given time, we could have lots of power,” Rich said.
While some of the team played summer ball, players are still eager to take the field against a high school opponent.
“We’re ready to be done with practices and get back to games,” Rich said.
In his 11th year of coaching the Bulldogs, Rich said he hasn’t coached since the end of the 2019 season, and he is just as excited as his team to be back.
The Bulldogs finally returned to the field for game action on March 23, the first of three games in a one-week span. They opened with a 5-3 victory at Elwood and a 10-0 triumph against Hamilton Heights before dropping a 10-2 decision to Greenfield-Central on Monday.
As for goals this year, Rich wants a good showing in the Madison County Tournament April 13-17.
“There are powerhouse teams in this county,” Rich said.
In addition to tallying a winning season, Rich wants improvement. “We want to learn from every game and get better.”
Eight current players were on that sectional-winning team in 2019. “I want to remind them of how that win felt. We want to repeat,” Rich said.
Getting games in has led to some normalcy again, but the 2021 campaign will still be one with obstacles to overcome.
Previously, Rich said it will still be a different and potentially difficult season, with all of the COVID-19 protocols they will be following.
One thing especially hard will be not taking a team bus to away games to provide social distancing while traveling; the bus rides have always been time for team bonding.
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Schedule: Lapel Softball
March 23 Elwood Home 5:30 p.m.
March 26 Hamilton Heights Away 5 p.m.
March 29 Greenfield Central Away 5:30 p.m.
March 30 Frankton Away 5:30 p.m.
March 31 Yorktown Away 5:30 p.m.
April13-17 Madison County Tournament
April 19 Hagerstown Away 5:30 p.m.
April 20 Mississinewa Away 5:30 p.m.
April 21 Muncie Central Home 5:30 p.m.
April 26 Liberty Christian Away 5:30 p.m.
April 27 Mt. Vernon Away 5:30 p.m.
April 28 New Castle Home 5:30 p.m.
April 29 Heritage Christian Home 5:30 p.m.
May 5 Madison-Grant Home 5:30 p.m.
May 6 Knightstown Home 5:30 p.m.
May 8 Eastern Hancock Away 10 a.m.
May 10 Wapahani Home 5:30 p.m.
May 12 Anderson Home 5:30 p.m.
May 13 Delta Away 5:30 p.m.
May 15 Shenandoah Home 10 a.m.
May 17 Cardinal Ritter Home 5:30 p.m.
May 19 Alexandria-Monroe Home 5:30 p.m.
May 24 Sectional
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Roster” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Seniors
Lily Daniels
Avery Bailey
Chloe Tucker
Hayley Granger
Madi Carpenter
Juniors
Ashlynn Allman
Makayla Smethers
Taylor Williams
Sophomores
Hannah Laughlin
Annika Patterson
Audrey Pulley
Alexa Owens
Emma Roundtree
Jordan Tracy
Freshmen
Krystin Davis
Gracie Clark
Macey Willis
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