By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – Last year’s Carmel softball team was very young, which means this year’s Carmel softball team is…young.
The good news for the Greyhounds is that all those very young players come back this season with another year of experience. Carmel’s roster includes seven sophomores that played varsity last year – “if they’re a sophomore, this is their second year on varsity,” said coach Stephanie Kleiner.
There are some upperclassmen playing for the Greyhounds, and they are good players. Senior Jayden Kleiner is committed to the University of Michigan, and she brings back by far the best batting average (.557) to the Carmel lineup.
Jayden Kleiner also led the Hounds in every offensive category: She compiled 39 hits, 33 runs scored, 23 runs batted in and nine home runs. Senior Winni Owens had decent numbers with a .281 average, 16 hits and 11 RBIs. Pitcher Emily Smith tossed 54 strikeouts and compiled a 4.07 earned-run average.
Junior Ellie Goddard hit at a .283 clip last year and had the second-most runs scored with 13. She collected 17 hits and 10 RBIs.
“Ellie’s been putting in a ton of work in the offseason, really looking so much more confident in the box, so that’s great to see,” said Stephanie Kleiner.
Among the sophomores, Lolah Pence returns the best average at .308 and also had 12 hits. Megan Pike hit two home runs. Catcher Riley Petrites missed the majority of last year with a broken wrist, but she is back for this season.
“I think we are in a much different position than we were in last year with having seven freshmen on varsity,” said Kleiner. The coach said that extra experience showed during Carmel’s scrimmage with Brownsburg Thursday at Cherry Tree Softball Complex.
Kleiner said the team was more calm and “took much better at-bats” at the scrimmage.
“We got to see a lot as to who put in time in the off-season and what they needed to put in time in the off-season doing,” said Kleiner.
Carmel’s first official game is Monday when it hosts Plainfield.