The Fayette High School softball team is about to begin a new chapter this season. Not only will the program come under the guidance of new head coach Bri Moore, but for the first time in more than five decades, Fayette will compete in a new conference.

Moore takes over a dominant Class 2 program from Mike James, who retired after coaching the previous 17 seasons. The team has recorded four 20-plus win seasons in the last five years.

Moore said that while it is intimidating to come into such a successful program, it’s also great that the team is in such solid shape. 

“They’ve had really good players. I think it’s great that I’m coming into such a great program. Keeping that intensity and level of play higher is important,” she said.

And while Moore is new to the program, she coached the team and got to know her players over the summer. She also has plenty of experience both as a player and a coach leading up to her first season as a head coach.

Moore was a DII pitcher at East Central University, where she also played first base. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas, playing Class 6 high school ball. More recently, she has served as an assistant coach for competitive travel ball teams.

Her college pitching experience has already come in handy working with Fayette’s outstanding pitching staff. Fayette returns two starting pitchers from last season, most notably the team’s ace, Skylar Sunderland. Now a senior, she finished 17-6 in 22 starts and 1.291 ERA a year ago. She had a masterful junior season during which she struck out more than a third of the batters she faced.

“She’s taken that leadership role really well going into her senior year,” Moore said about her starting pitcher. “She has the girls on her back, and she leads them. I’m excited to watch her play. In the summer, she was lights out.”

Since last season, Sunderland has added a couple of new pitches to her arsenal, including a rise ball and a more developed off-speed pitch. 

“Her off-speed’s great. Her velocity is really good,” Moore said. “Seeing her today pitch to live batters was really good. She was moving the ball and putting it where it needed to be in the strike zone consistently.”

Sunderland also dished out plenty of hits at the plate last season, leading the team in extra-base hits with 10 doubles along with a triple and home run. She also had the second-highest batting average at .434.

Behind Sunderland in the pitching circle is junior Payton Kindle, who finished with a perfect 4-0 record in five starts last season. In 29 innings pitched last year, she posted a 2.655 ERA.

Moore said that Kindle has already shown growth in the pitching circle from the summer schedule, both mentally and physically. “She’s been putting in a lot of work on the mound. Her role is to come in and show different pitches.”

Kindle is a different style of pitcher of well, often locating low in the zone.

“That level of movement, her ball drops,” Moore explained. “It’s a different level that they’re seeing it at when it’s coming in. She works down, and her off-speed is really good.”

Returning behind the plate this season is junior Leah Thies. She caught more than 135 innings last season, allowing just 18 stolen bases.

Thies will also be one of the team’s power hitters among a smaller and younger lineup this season. She hit .316 a year ago with six doubles and three of the team’s four homers on the year.

Senior Bailey Simpson will return to first base this season, with senior Rylee Finley back at second base. The left side of the infield will be smaller and somewhat less experienced. Sophomores Paige Vroman and Brooklynn Wies will take over at shortstop and third base, respectively. But Moore said the pair have shown the ability to get to ground balls despite their youth.

“We’re young and small,” Moore agreed. “Brooklynn has taken that role at third really well. It was her and Rylee over the summer. And when I moved Rylee over to second, Brooklyn kind of stepped in, and she’s taken it really well. She’s tough, which is good. That’s who you want there.”

Moore holds a similar sentiment for Vroman at shortstop. “She can reach. She can move. She’s got some depth, which is awesome.”

While Fayette has some youth on the infield, the Lady Falcons return a veteran outfield to track down fly balls. Cayle John returns for her senior season in left field. Senior Whitley Sunderland returns as the team’s starter in center field. And junior Hailey Kuster returns to right field.

Moore said she feels the team has a solid starting nine. “I feel great about them. They’ve shown great determination in the field. We’ve been working on the simple mechanics and routine plays, making sure that they’re focusing on that and being very intentional with what they’re doing. How you practice is how you play. So, the more intentional we can be at practice, and the harder we work at practice, the easier games are going to be. I’m excited to watch them play. They’re fun and energetic to be around.”

While the defensive starters are set, Moore said she is still working to decide the starting lineup at the plate.

So far, fans should expect the speed of Paige Vroman and Whitley Sunderland to give way to the power of Thies, Skylar Sunderland, and Rylee Finley, with John ready to power the bottom half of the lineup.

With only a few power hitters returning, Fayette’s offense will play plenty of small ball this season. 

“I want to be really situational with our offense,” Moore explained. “We’ll use our power hitters when we can, but also, when they’re in that situation, they’re not afraid to lay a bunt down.”

Fayette will also remain aggressive on the base paths. Leading the way will be Whitley Sunderland, who stole 12 of the team’s 58 total bases a year ago.

Moore said that aggressive style is ingrained in her players. “You don’t have to tell them to [steal]. They will do it on their own, which is awesome. And they’re smart about it.”

The Lady Falcons had their final tuneup at the Fayette preseason jamboree on Tuesday afternoon after the Advertiser had gone to press. They once again open the season at the Boonville Tournament on Saturday, where they could face Clinton, Eugene, Kirksville, New Franklin, Smith Cotton, and Wright City, as well as the hosting Lady Pirates.

Fayette will face Wright City at 10:30 a.m. in the first round of the tournament at Rolling Hills.

The Lady Falcons won the tournament three years ago and has won two of three games in it the past two years. 

A potential bout against Eugene would be Fayette’s first glimpse at the new Central State 8 Conference. After competing in the Lewis & Clark Conference for the last 50 years, Fayette is helping to usher in a new conference alongside Harrisburg, Eugene, South Callaway, Russellville, New Bloomfield, Osage, and Tipton.

And while Moore does not hold the experience in the L&C as do most of the Fayette faithful, she sees the opportunity to start a new conference as both intimidating and fun. “They’re good teams. We’re entering a new level of competition. We’re here to make a statement in this new conference. We’re here to prove ourselves, and we play to win.”

With a 16-game schedule, not including tournaments, there is plenty of room to maintain those old rivalries. Former L&C rivals Westran and Salisbury and Fayette’s neighbors to the north, Glasgow, make up the final three games of the regular season. Fayette will also face off against regular foes New Franklin, Paris, and Pilot Grove amid conference battles with Harrisburg, Russellville, South Callaway, and New Bloomfield.

Fayette opens their home campaign at 5 p.m. on September 3 against Class 5 Battle High School. Fayette has won the last two matchups, winning at Battle 7-5 a year ago.