With only a handful of returning players, the Waupaca softball team might not look that impressive on paper at first glance.
Not so fast, according to coach Kevin Guyant.
“I think we’ll have success, but we’re going to have to get a few breaks,” he said. “We can hit the ball hard. It has to find that hole.”
The Comets are off to an 0-2 start after losses to Ripon and Weyauwega-Fremont, but Guyant is convinced his team can be competitive in the Eastern Valley Conference.
“I’d love to say Waupaca, but we’re too young right now,” he said when asked to pick the team to beat in the EVC. “It’s going to be FVL (Fox Valley Lutheran). They have a really strong pitcher and they’re always good offensively.”
Although the Comets only have three seniors on their roster, there are enough players to field varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams.
“The numbers have grown and we’re lucky now to have three softball teams,” Guyant said. “I’d take my 12 to 15 girls and the rest would go on JV, so they may have 20 or 22. Now, with a third team, those girls that wouldn’t play that much are going to play.”
The seniors are Emerie Vasquez, Kacey Spoerl and Cassie Menadue.
“Emerie was our pitcher the last three years,” Guyant said. “She probably pitched 95 percent of our innings last year and I look to her to do the same this year. I thought she did really well last year. I asked her to keep her walks down to under two a game and she did. The other two – Kacey and Cassie – will find some substantial time, but they weren’t everyday players. Cassie just started playing softball last year.”
Also back are a pair of all-conference players in junior Tasha Smith and sophomore Mandy Tomlinson. Jess Borntrager, last year’s second baseman, is also back.
On the other hand, Guyant is looking at a new outfield and some new faces in the infield.
“Our philosophy this year is we’re building our team around offense vs. defense and then fill in our holes on defense with offensive players,” he said. “We do have girls with strong bats and I expect a really good offensive year. Part of my philosophy is playing the small ball. We do stress the need to know how to lay down a perfect bunt any time during the game. Everybody has to do it. The No. 9 hitter, if you get the sacrifice sign, you better be able to lay it down.”
Now that the weather is finally starting to turn around, Guyant is hoping that his team will be able to adjust to practices outside instead of the Waupaca High School gym.
“I kept saying to them at the Ripon game, ‘Gosh, this feels good, being on the grass and dirt,'” he said. “It’s so much different than a gym floor. The ball has different hops, where in the gym, you get that predictable hop every time.”
Because four of the Comets’ first five games ended up getting rescheduled, Waupaca is looking at a number of doubleheaders. The team is scheduled to play four doubleheaders in a nine-day span that started April 16 at Little Chute.
“Most of our games are conference games, so every game counts,” Guyant said. “We’re going to learn as we go. I may switch players out during a game because they didn’t perform outside as well as in the gym, but who knows?”
Waupaca Softball 2013 Schedule
Varsity
Monday, April 8 – at Ripon, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 13 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, Menasha, 9 a.m.
Tuesday, April 16 – at Little Chute, 4 p.m. (DH)
Friday, April 19 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 4 p.m. (DH)
Tuesday, April 23 – vs. Winneconne, 4 p.m. (DH)
Thursday, April 25 – vs. Berlin, 4 p.m. (DH)
Friday, April 26 – vs. Iola-Scandinavia, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 30 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, May 3 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 4 p.m. (DH)
Tuesday, May 7 – vs. Amherst, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 9 – vs. Clintonville, 4 p.m. (DH)
Saturday, May 11 – at Wisconsin Rapids Invitational, TBA.
Monday, May 13 – at Freedom, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Junior Varsity
Monday, April 8 – at Ripon, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 13 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, Menasha, 9 a.m.
Tuesday, April 16 – at Little Chute, 4 p.m. (DH)
Friday, April 19 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 4 p.m. (DH)
Tuesday, April 23 – vs. Winneconne, 4 p.m. (DH)
Thursday, April 25 – vs. Berlin, 4 p.m. (DH)
Friday, April 26 – vs. Iola-Scandinavia, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 30 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, May 3 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 4 p.m. (DH)
Saturday, May 4 – at Ashwaubenon Invitational, 10 a.m.
Monday, May 13 – at Freedom, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Freshman
Friday, April 19 – at New London, 4:30 p.m.
Monday, May 13 – vs. Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 14 – vs. New London, 4:30 p.m.