Softball Stars optimistic despite rough start

By Maddie Toles
Sports Editor

The LCC women's softball team is back on its home diamond after facing tough competition during the annual spring break trip down south.

The Stars are entering conference play on March 26. LCC started the season with a 5-11 record. The team was in midst of a seven-game losing streak as of March 21, but LCC Head Coach Marc Kibby said he knows the experience will help his players better prepare for the upcoming conference play.

"When we go on our spring break, we play a real competitive schedule," Kibby said. "It allows us to see where we are at nationally. We played three Division I ranked teams and five Division II teams.

"It allows our freshmen to see the higher level that it takes to succeed in our league. It's a good learning tool….We see how we play there, and we try to get it fixed in a week and a half before league play."

The team has already picked captains; a group made up of sophomores Rebecca Curtis, Haley McDonald, Sara Reinhardt and McKenna Musser.

Reinhardt, a catcher, shared her opinion on the upcoming season.

"I wasn't expecting to be a captain this year at all," Reinhardt admitted. "So when I found out I was going to take that role I saw it as the girls trusting and respecting me to get us to our end goal. I know that I have to take this opportunity head on and do my job and help the team out the best I can."

Reinhardt is also optimistic about how the rest of the team will perform, despite the tough losses the past few weeks.

"We are a very young team and we still have some work to do, but I think that is OK," Reinhardt said. "I believe that this team has a lot of potential and all 23 girls have a key role to get us back to states, regionals, and back to nationals. We could have a really fun season if we keep trusting each other whenever we step on to the field."

Kibby is anticipating good play from some of the incoming freshman. He said Mercedes Cole and Kylee Taylor are among the potential stars to watch. Taylor is the team's first basemen, and Cole is expected to be a top pitcher.

The team's next home game will be Tuesday, March 26 at 3 p.m. against Kalamazoo Valley Community College at Ranney Park, on Lansing's east side.