The Fayette High School softball team expects strong defense and speedy base running will propel the team even farther than that of the Falcons’ historic 2021 season.

Last year the Falcons rode a 19-game winning streak on to a 22-3 overall finish that concluded with back-to-back losses to eventual state champion Marceline in the regular season closer, and defending state champion Salisbury in district action. They finished the season ranked sixth in all of Missouri Class 2 schools.

“It was a fantastic year,” said Mike James, who is entering his 16th season as head coach of the Falcons. He will be joined once again by fourth-year assistant coach Richard Johnson.

A major part of Fayette’s strength a year ago was the dominant arm of pitcher Jordyn Ball. The senior finished with a record of 17-3 in 20 starts and was 2-2 in save opportunities. She allowed only 23 earned runs all season while delivering 232 strikeouts.

Behind Ball was freshman Skyler Sunderland, who earned a win against Class 3 Kirksville in the Boonville Tournament that kicked off the 2021 season. 

Now a sophomore, Skylar is expected to be tapped for the role of starting pitcher. “She got some varsity action last year,” James said. “She also has travel ball experience playing with the Outlaws. She’s played a lot of softball. So even though she’s young, she’s experienced.”

Sunderland won all five of her varsity starts in 2021 as a freshman and triumphed in her only save opportunity. She finished the season with a 1.313 varsity ERA and allowed only four earned runs in 21.1 innings of work with 38 strikeouts.

James said Sunderland’s fastball reaches around the upper 50s and has the potential to improve on that speed. The hurler also boasts a four-pitch arsenal with a strong change-up, a drop ball, and a rise ball.

“Her changeup is probably her best pitch,” James said.

“She’s got four pitches, where Jordyn was really a two-pitch pitcher,” James explained. “I think Skylar’s changeup is more developed. That’s the pitch we’ll probably call more.”

Behind Sunderland in the circle will be a veteran defense that didn’t see much action a year ago.

With Ball delivering around 12 strikeouts a game last year, James said that may have caused the defense to become complacent at times. “She was getting 75% of the outs,” James said.

James said this year he expects his veteran infield to play more of a role in getting outs behind his sophomore pitcher. “I think Skylar is capable of striking people out, but I think it’s going to be more pitching to contact and locating it and trying to get them to hit into the right spots,” he said. “It should make our defense a little more on their toes. We’ve got good athletes out there.”

Senior Preslee Sunderland will likely be the team’s second pitcher in the rotation, along with freshman Payton Kindle. Preslee saw varsity action from the circle as a freshman and sophomore. “We usually use her in tournaments when it’s a three-game day,” James said. “She’ll pitch enough to keep Skylar fresh toward the end.”

James said that Kindle will likely see some varsity action this year, but will benefit most from pitching at the junior varsity level. She comes off a junior high team that finished 14-2 and swept the conference tournament a year ago, and enters high school with travel ball experience. 

“We’re pretty high on our pitching staff. I think it’s going to be a strength for us,” James said.

Fayette returns a bevy of starters to its 21-player roster for the 2022 season. Those starters include a tight infield and a powerful offensive lineup.

The majority of Fayette’s infielders have four years of experience. Senior third baseman Megan Lewis and shortstop Preslee Sunderland are both four-year starters. First baseman Maddi Lawson and catcher Addison Newell are both four-year returners as well.

Last year’s defense only allowed 47 runs all season. And seven of those were in the final game in the district tournament.

“All those girls played pretty much from their freshman years on,” said James. “They’ve been together a long time. Our infield is extremely experienced.”

James called Lawson as good of a first baseman as you’re going to find. “She’s a tremendous first baseman. She helps our defense a lot. She’s athletic, and she jumps well.”

The only youth will be at second base. Freshman Browyn Eubanks will man that gap. But James isn’t worried about the lack of experience there. He called Eubanks a “tremendous athlete” who is surrounded by a corps of girls with more than 100 games of experience.

“Browyn has shown some pretty good potential so far,” he said. “She’s up there as one of the best athletes we’ve had. She’s fast. She’s strong. She has a good arm. I think she’s going to be a great asset for us. It gives us another dimension. I think she can play several spots, too.”

Senior Hannah Quint will handle the duties in center field. The three-and-a-half-year starter is likely the fastest player on an already speedy team.

The outfield corners have not yet been settled as of this writing. Junior Addison Powell will likely get the nod in right field, with sophomores Cayle John, Whitley Sunderland, and Melissa Innes battling for the start in left field. “It may be kind of a platoon thing until we see who shakes out,” James said.

Offensively, the Falcons return the strength of their lineup, which boasts both power and speed. James said Newell will most likely return as the team’s lead-off hitter. As a junior, she finished with a slugging percentage of .354 and hit .367 with runners in scoring position (BA/RISP).

“She’s fast, she makes good contact, and she’s a line-drive hitter,” James said. “She gets on base.”

While Newell is fast on the base paths, James has traditionally saved her knees with a courtesy runner, which is allowed for catchers and pitchers. This year he said she may see more time on base.

“She’s one of our best contact hitters for sure,” James said. 

Preslee Sunderland will return in the second spot after leading the team in BA/RISP at .455. 

“She had an unbelievable year last year. She was kind of the catalyst,” said James. 

The senior shortstop makes it difficult for pitchers and defenses because of her solid small-ball game, but can also hit for power. Last year against conference foe Scotland Co., she not only delivered three bunt hits but sent one over the fence for a home run.

“She’s hit a home run every year,” said James. “She’s really hard to defend against. And if you walk her, you’re in trouble.”

Preslee led Fayette’s aggressive game on the base paths with 28 steals last year. She was only caught stealing twice. Having her second in the lineup behind Newell’s on-base consistency gives the Fayette lineup a strong one-two punch.

Behind that double jab comes two hitters with knockout power. Batting third again this year will be senior third baseman, Megan Lewis. She finished the 2021 season with a .412 batting average with two homers.

James said that Lewis is probably the team’s best pure power, line-drive hitter. With most of her at-bats coming with two runners on base, she led the team with 38 RBI a year ago. “She covers the plate well and doesn’t strike out a whole bunch,” James said. “When she hits the ball, which she does quite often, she hits it hard.”

James called Lewis one of the better hitters in the Lewis & Clark Conference. As a junior, she blasted a three-run home run over the fence in the ninth inning against then-defending state champion Salisbury to win the game for Fayette.

Batting cleanup again this year will be senior center fielder and power hitter Hannah Quint, who led the team last year in slugging percentage at .659. 

A .400 batter in 2021, she drove in 30 runs and hit three home runs. Two years ago she was the only hitter all season to get a hit off of Fr. Tolton’s dominant pitcher Paige Bedsworth, who now pitches for Drake University, an NCAA Div. I school.

“Hannah does a good job,” James said. “If the girls get on in front of them, she or Megan are going to probably bring them home.”

When she’s not hitting for power, Quint is committing larceny on the infield. Last season she stole 15 bases and was only thrown out once. “She’s got speed,” James noted. “We timed them all on the first day, and she had the fastest time from home to first. She’s just a good athlete.”

Quint also led the team with 85 at-bats and finished with a contact percentage of .859.

Sophomore Kaelynn Styles will likely occupy the five-spot in the lineup. James said she hit the ball well this summer and has power. 

Senior Maddi Lawson is expected to bat sixth in the lineup. The senior returns after hitting .264 last year with 18 RBI.

“She fast,” James said of the senior first baseman. “When she’s hot, she’s as good as anybody.”

The bottom three spots in the lineup will likely fluctuate in the early portion of the season, with Powell, John, Whitley Sunderland, and Eubanks battling for opportunities.

James said that once Eubanks gets a season of experience under her belt, she could very well develop into a triple-threat player at the plate who can bunt and hit for power. 

“She’ll probably bat ninth. Because the ninth player usually gets good pitches to hit,” James said about Eubanks. “Then we have some big-time speed all lined up in a row with good hitters behind them.

“If Browyn and Addison (Powell) get on base in the bottom of the order, we’re going to be tough to beat. I know Preslee is going to get on half the time. I know Addison Newell is going to get on.”

Assistant coach Richard Johnson noted that Newell is a player who consistently hits for extra bases. “When she gets a double with someone on in front of her, or if she gets on base with a double with a good hitter coming behind her, that makes a big difference.”

Although it seems that the starting lineup is mostly planned out, James said there is still room for adjustment and fluctuation. Junior Jenny Kunze and freshman Leah Thies are threats off the bench. Thies will likely see some time at catcher in the varsity season and is expected to take over the position in the coming years.

Fayette will once again play in the highly competitive Lewis & Clark Conference, which for the second year in a row, boasts the Class 2 defending state champion. Marceline was crowned state champion last season after finishing the year 28-3-1 overall. The Tigers also edged out Fayette for the conference title in the last game of the regular season.

Salisbury is also a consistent threat. The Panthers upset top-seeded Fayette in the Class 2 District 3 tournament a year ago and were the Class 2 state champions in 2020.

Harrisburg is another school that James anticipates will offer strong competition this year. “They have a lot of speed, and they do some things that we don’t match up with real well. They may have as much speed as we do.”

Westran and Schuyler Co. also bring stiff competition, with the latter fielding one of the top pitchers in the conference. 

“You have to play well because nobody in the conference is a cakewalk,” James said. “I think we’re in the upper level with the top three.”

Fayette also finds itself in a position of respect. The Falcons won the district championship in 2019 and have been a strong postseason contender every year since. Despite the upset in 2021, the Falcons entered the district tournament as the top seed. That pedigree means Fayette is no longer the underdog.

“We don’t sneak up on people anymore,” James said. “A lot of times, we’ll get (our opponent’s) best game. Now they gear up for us.”

The Falcons opened up the 2021 season by winning the Boonville Tournament, where they defeated Class 3 teams Boonville 4-0 and Kirksville 8-3. They put together a 19-game winning streak, won all three tournaments, and never lost at home. Prior to that, Fayette only lost one home game in 2020.

Skylar Sunderland pitched for the 8-3 win against Kirksville in last year’s Boonville Tournament. “That was a big deal,” James said.

One of Fayette’s three losses last year was against Class 5 behemoth Battle High School in Columbia. The Falcons fell 4-1 and will host the Lady Spartans for the home opener at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 30.

Fayette returns to the field at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 23, for the Fayette preseason jamboree with Harrisburg and New Franklin. The Falcons officially open the season on Saturday, August 27 at the Lady Pirate Leadoff Classic in Boonville. 

The Falcons jump into conference action on Wednesday, August 31, with a home game against Scotland County. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Fayette will play at the New Franklin Tournament on Saturday, September 10, and will host the Fayette Tournament on Saturday, September 17.