The Fayette softball team hopes a fresh arm in the pitching circle can lift the team back above a disappointing .500 finish last season at 14-14 overall after a streak of six straight winning seasons.

Coach Bri Busker returns for her third season. She will be assisted by Macy White, who is new to the district this year. The team lost five seniors from last season, four of whom were starters. But the Lady Falcons return five starters who are now seniors and a powerful new arm in the pitching circle. Brylee Eubanks was named the starting pitcher after helping lead the middle school Falcons to winning seasons the past two years.

Eubanks brings an extensive pitching arsenal to the diamond, honed over several seasons of travel ball. Not only does she blast the fastball in the low 60s, but she also adds a rise ball, changeup, screwball, drop ball, and drop curve that will keep opposing batters guessing.

Busker said the ball movement Eubanks can direct is great. “We’ve been doing live pitching in practice the last couple of weeks. It’s fun to watch her.”

Busker said Eubanks not only strikes out a lot of batters but also induces ground balls and weak pop flies for easy outs.

Sophomore Kennedy Chew will return as backup pitcher. She already got some work in from the circle during last week’s jamboree in Harrisburg. “Kennedy has movement, but is not as fast, and she doesn’t have the velocity as Brylee. But that offsetting of the two is effective in games,” Busker said.

A strong new ace combined with an experienced senior class and four power hitters is just the combination Coach Busker thinks could once again make Fayette a district contender.

“I think with the freshmen coming in and our senior class, there is a lot of leadership and a lot of talent,” Busker said. “It’s a good group of girls. I think having that confidence, especially in the infield, will change a lot of things.”

Those seniors will man key spots in the infield and outfield. Brooklynn Wies will return to third base for the third straight year. “She’s been a good, solid foundation there,” Busker said.

Shortstop may be a little up in the air, at least to start the season. Normally, senior Paige Vroman would provide solid defense there, but she is still recovering from knee surgery following an injury during basketball season. In her stead will likely be her twin sister, Kennady Vroman.

Another senior will likely start at second base. Sida Gregory could get the starting nod there if she doesn’t return to right field. Sophomore Jordan Barnhill will likely see time at second, as will freshman Hallie Ball this season. Either of them could start at first as well.

“The right side is a toss-up,” Busker said. When the Lady Falcons opened the season Saturday at the Boonville Tournament, sophomore Blakely Baylor started at first, with Ball at second and Barnhill in right field.

Catching Eubanks will be sophomore Camryn Ballew, who saw time behind the plate a year ago backing up senior Leah Thies.

Ballew also has years of experience catching on her travel ball team and caught Eubanks in middle school. “They’ve known each other for a long time,” Busker said about her starting battery.

Senior Emma Hilgedick will lead an experienced outfield lineup tracking down fly balls. She will return to her starting role in center field, with senior Greycen Syferd in left and Gregory likely in right field.

At the plate, Hilgedick is expected to lead off again this season. Kennady Vroman will bat second after leading the team with a .429 average a year ago.

“She was my most consistent hitter last year,” Busker said about Vroman.

Busker hopes that both reach base in front of Syferd, who crushed the ball a year ago. Eubanks and Ballew will hit fourth and fifth, respectively, adding power to the middle of the lineup.

“Camryn made a lot of adjustments. She’s looking good in practice right now for being a power hitter,” Busker said. “When she gets ahold of the ball, it goes. Same with Brylee. She’s very strong and a good power hitter and sees the ball well.”

Ball will bat sixth, with Wies hitting seventh, Barnhill eighth, and Gregory ninth.

“We lost some power from Leah last year and some speed on the bases,” Busker said. “We’ll be making that up in different areas. We’re going to be using the short game and a lot of situational hitting.”

Fayette will have home field advantage in nine out of its 14 non-tournament games this season. Apart from last Saturday’s Boonville Tournament and the New Franklin Tournament coming up on September 12, the Lady Falcons don’t face a road game until September 17 when they travel to Central State 8 rival Harrisburg.

That Harrisburg game is one that Busker said she is excited for after losing to the Bulldogs twice last season, once in the regular season and again in the second round of districts.

“They’re always a rival. Last year where I felt like they rode their pitcher and we had opportunities we did not make. And especially since we lost to them in district play. I think that’s a game we’re always chasing,” Busker said.

The Falcons also defeated Russellville, another CS8 opponent that went 17-9 last season, and went 1-1 against Eugene.  Fayette had an early look at Eugene on Saturday, falling to the Eagles 7-0 in the first round of Saturday’s Boonville Tournament.

Fayette went on to _____

Fayette played its first home game Monday night against Class 5 Battle High School, of Columbia, coming away with a _______ (see full story on Page ____). The Falcons remain home Thursday to host Sturgeon, then take on New Bloomfield for the first CS8 game of the season on Tuesday.