Clay softball expects to compete with veteran roster

Head coach Brenda Radabaugh returns for her 26th season in charge of the Clay softball program with a veteran team hungry to build off a regional semifinal appearance last year.

“They're gelling very well,” Radabaugh said. “We haven't had any issues. Everybody's getting along very well. They're working extremely hard. We've been in the weight room a couple days a week since November. I see a lot of growth in strength for some of the kids.”

The Eagles finished 19-7 overall last year, including an 11-4 mark in NLL play. The program returns all but three seniors, although they will also have to overcome the absence of Olivia Haas, who Radabaugh said was the team’s best pitcher, best shortstop, and leadoff batter. The University of Findlay signee was injured during soccer season.

“She is rehabbing her butt off,” Radabaugh said. “She just got released to hit balls off the tee, and a goal of hers is to get some bats during a tournament run in May.”

Another top senior back is catcher Maddie Franke, who will play at Bowling Green next year. Radabaugh said she wishes she could use the standout more in the outfield, but she’s too good at such an important position as catcher.

“She brings a lot of power in our lineup,” Radabaugh said. “Right now, she's our number four batter. We'll see if she stays there or if we need to move her up into the top three or not. If our top three are getting on base in the first inning, we'll leave her at four. We'll see where that goes, but she's just outstanding all the way around — an incredible athlete with a very strong arm behind the plate and when she's in center field. And power in her bat.”

Jenna Swartz, a Baldwin Wallace commit who pitches and plays second base, also returns.

“She's been a run producer for us in the past, but she's stronger with the bat this year,” Radabaugh said. “We're looking for even more out of her there.”

Also returning among the senior class is Zoi Zahradnik, who pitches and plays first base. She is committed to play next year at Heidelberg. Belle Ringle rounds out the class. She will attend Toledo on academic scholarship for engineering. Radabaugh said she’ll be in the lineup somewhere, likely in right field, third base, or at the DP spot.

The team’s six-member junior class includes Emily Cordell, Vanessa Wilk, Lily Cordell, Brylee VanWormer, Addison Ziegelhofer, and Rylee Gregory. Among them are four new to varsity after playing JV last year, including Wilk, VanWormer, Ziegelhofer, and Gregory.

Radabaugh said the Cordell twins are among five of the team’s players who also compete for the school’s championship powerlifting team. Others include Ziegelhofer, Swartz, and Franke.

“The twins are so much stronger this year than they were last year,” she said. “They hit with us twice a week, but they're lifting with the powerlifting team, too. Their hitting has increased immensely from last year to this year. They're just so much stronger.”

Emily Cordell started the most innings in the circle last year, and Radabaugh said she’ll be one of the team’s starters this year, too. She also plays first base and is a solid outfielder. One of her main goals is to reach 100 strikeouts.

“With five pitchers throwing last year, she had 99 strikeouts,” Radabaugh said. “She wanted to hit 100 so badly, so that's her goal this year.”

Lily Cordell pitched a little last year, and she will see an increased role there this year while playing center or third when Swartz pitches.

Those two, along with Swartz and Zoi Zahradnik will see most of the innings in the circle this year, and Radabaugh said they may work a fifth into the mix, as well, to prepare for next year.

“We mix up our pitching a lot,” she said. “We don't have a dominant, overpowering pitcher, but we have kids that have movement and different speeds.”

One key underclassman is sophomore Ellie Haynes, who will shift into the starting shortstop role in place of Haas after starting at third last year. She led the team offensively last year, Radabaugh said, even tying the program’s doubles record for a season with 18.

On top of that, Haynes went 5-for-5 while hitting for the cycle in a game against Southview last year. In doing so, she joined Erin Simon as the only two players in Radabaugh’s 26 years to hit for the cycle. She finished the season with a .532 batting average, while also leading the way in singles and finishing second in home runs.

Radabaugh said one of her top offseason goals for Haynes was to work on her slot throw during bunts.

“She struggled with her accuracy on her throw last year, and she's worked on that a lot,” she said. “Her throwing accuracy is much better this year. She's still crushing the ball when we hit in practice. I'm excited to see what will happen when she goes up against other pitchers.”

In the team’s first scrimmage against Hilltop, a strong Division VII school, Haynes and Franke hit back-to-back home runs.

The team’s other underclassman is freshman infielder Grace Montgomery, who Radabaugh said has a strong bat, hits well, and could be the team’s starting third baseman.

“She's just a real solid player,” Radabaugh said. “She's not flashy or over-the-top in anything, but she's a very good hitter. And with Haas not being able to play, we needed one more person up there. So far, she's holding her own and doing well.”

While they graduated a pitcher, a second baseman, and a centerfielder — along with the absence of Haas — Radabaugh said they’re moving kids around a lot trying to shore up where everyone is going to be permanently.

“If they're hitting, they're going to be in the lineup somewhere,” she said.