Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano Community High School catcher Courtney Ainsworth waits for a pitch during a scrimmage Thursday at the school’s field house.
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Shawano Community High School pitcher Courtney Baumann throws during practice Thursday at the school.
An influx of underclassmen will join a talented group of returning players on the Shawano Community High School softball team, which last year won a WIAA Division 2 regional championship.
With six returning letter-winners and only three seniors, the Hawks are going to need the underclassmen to step up.
“(It’s) probably the youngest team in Shawano varsity history,” coach Kevin Isaacson said, “but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
The team has four sophomores new to the team and four freshmen fighting for varsity spots.
The youth puts pressure on the seniors — Courtney Baumann, Brianna Laabs and LaRissa O’Kimosh — to provide leadership.
“When you have a young team with freshmen and sophomores on varsity, that leadership is really critical,” Isaacson said. “They’re doing a great job.”
Baumann will once again be throwing to junior catcher Courtney Ainsworth. Both were first-team all-conference selections a year ago.
“Courtney Baumann had 11 wins last year, and she’s back as our starter,” Isaacson said. “Fortunately, we have three underclassmen that we think can compete at the varsity level.”
Freshmen Hannah Hein and Saige Henning and sophomore Sydney Schreiber will be in the running for innings on the mound this season.
O’Kimosh, who plays right field, and sophomore second baseman Allison Raddant were second-team all-conference selections last year.
Laabs, who made a key defensive play and had the game-winning hit in the Hawks’ regional final, will once again be at third base.
“Brianna Laabs is just incredible at third base defensively,” Isaacson said. “She’s the best I’ve seen in high school. She takes away the bunt, takes away the sharp hit. And she’s our No. 3 hitter, right in the middle of the order. She’s a key part of our success.”
Junior Nicki Ainsworth rounds out the returning letter winners and will have a chance to replace graduated senior Alison VanGrinsven at first base.
“Those are opportunities for kids,” Isaacson said. “Nicki worked some at first base last year and then spent the summer at first base preparing for this. She’s going to be ready to go.”
Shawano had four of the top 10 hitters in the Bay Conference a season ago, and all return except graduated senior shortstop Whitney Boda. Boda, a unanimous first-team all-conference selection, was third in the conference with an average of .469. Raddant was fourth with a .467 average. Courtney Ainsworth was fifth, hitting .466. Baumann’s .421 average was good for 10th in the league.
“I’m very comfortable with where we’re at offensively,” Isaacson said. “We have a lot of kids that can put the ball in play, and a lot of kids that can drive the ball. One through nine, I think we’re going to be strong.”
Like it did a year ago, the team will focus on speed and base running.
“We’re going to push the pace the entire game,” Isaacson said.
The coach likes to point out that runners at the college Division I level are thrown out only 18 percent of the time.
“That’s our philosophy,” Isaacson said. “It forces the pitcher to throw a ball the catcher can catch, the catcher to catch it and throw it, and the fielder to make the catch and the tag. We like our chances.”
The Hawks finished fourth in a stacked Bay Conference last year, finishing 17-7 overall and 11-6 in conference. In the postseason, Shawano won its regional championship with an 11-10 victory over Green Bay Notre Dame, before losing in the sectional to Bay rival Luxemburg-Casco.
The Bay has sent a team to the state tournament the last four years, including last year’s Division 2 state champions, New London.
“Our goal would be to be the team that competes well in the Bay Conference and then qualifies for the state tournament,” Isaacson said. “That’s our goal every year. It’s fun because we have just an incredibly talented conference.”