Looking up and down the Morgantown softball team’s lineup in its 5-3 season-opening win over Brooke on Saturday, there weren’t many seniors plugged in.
In fact, there was only one — shortstop Brianna McKenzie. Donning a fitting No. 1 jersey, she hit cleanup for the Mohigans against the Bruins, driving in one run on a double.
Since she is surrounded by youth — the only other senior is catcher Kaitlyn Pitcher — McKenzie feels she needs to be a leader on a squad that lost six seniors from a year ago.
“It’s honestly a pleasure to be one of the oldest on the team,” she said. “I love being someone who the younger girls may look up to and it does get stressful at times being in that position, but I’m always striving to make myself better as a player and as a role model to the younger girls on the team.”
While McKenzie and third baseman Ava Anderson provide stability in the heart of the order, MHS will rely on two freshmen to create at the top of the lineup. Jocelyn McCartney and Breonna Marietta have the tools to spark the offense.
“They have the athleticism, ability to bunt and make solid contact,” coach Lorri Lipscomb said. “Jocelyn has a lot of speed and Breonna can put things into motion. Those two have shown a lot in such a short time.”
McKenzie knows what McCartney and Marietta are going through — she is a four-year starter who was thrown into the lineup quickly as a freshman. It wasn’t an easy transition at first, but once the nerves settled, the game slowed down.
“I do believe it can be very intimidating being thrown in there with girls that are much older and bigger than you,” McKenzie said. “Personally, I was the smallest one on the team my freshman year and when I was told I was starting, I was all kinds of nervous, but after the first two innings or so, it wasn’t that bad and I was honored to be starting on the field.”
Lipscomb is excited about her battery of pitchers and catchers. In the circle, the Mohigans are led by Brooke Pyles and Lillian Kooser, while sophomore Katie Lemley is behind the plate.
Without a lot of experience, Lipscomb believes there is depth to play around with, especially early in the season.
“There are a lot of girls that weren’t in that first lineup that will have a chance to play,” she said. “That’s just how this team is set up right now.”
The young Mohigans will head to Cocoa Beach, Fla., this week for spring training, taking on Oak Harbor (Ohio) at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Getting out of the inconsistent Morgantown weather and getting a chance to play back-to-back games has Lipscomb itching to try out different lineups to see what she has on the roster.
“The reason I’m happy we’re going down there so early rather than later in our season is to do different things and see who might fit in where,” she said.
MHS’s next home game will be at 5 p.m. March 29 against John Marshall.
