After an incredible three-year run from 2013 and 2015 when the Jefferson College softball team racked up 161 victories, including a school-record 56 in 2015, the Vikings have won 43 games the previous two seasons.
Success on that scale is hard to reproduce every year, but Jefferson College returns its top pitcher from last season and head coach Tony Cook said this year’s club could hit for more power and the team defense looks stronger. The Vikings’ season ended in 2017 with a 10-3 loss to Crowder in the Region 16 championship.
“We want to compete. That’s our main focus,” said Cook, who enters his 12th season as the Vikings’ head coach. “I thought we looked past a few teams last year and they snuck up and got us.”
Jefferson College finished 2-2 against Crowder during the regular season and won its fifth consecutive Missouri Community College Athletic Conference championship in 2017. The Vikings open the season on Feb. 16 in Booneville, Miss., where they will play in five games. Conference rivals Mineral Area College and Three Rivers College are also in the tournament.
“I want us to go down there and compete,” Cook said. “If we do the things we’ve practiced hard at and talked about, we’ve got to hit the ball because offense wins games. We can go 4-1 or 5-0 in that tournament. We want to show the scouts down south teams from the Midwest can compete.”
All Cook had to do in the offseason was replace the team’s top nine batters who were all sophomores and hit for average, between Libby Marko’s .369 to the team-leading Kelsi Gmerek (.436). Sophomore Maddy Hart returns as the top hitter after batting .358 and driving in 28 runs a year ago.
Jefferson College allowed just 24 home runs last season, and hit 38, a number Cook said he sees rising this spring.
“We want to be in that 50 range for home runs,” Cook said. “The way this team’s designed, hitting above 40 will be successful.”
Another key offensive category Cook said should increase greatly is the amount of bases his team swipes. The Vikings stole 85 bags in 2017. Cook thinks they can reach 300 this season.
“That’s the kind of team we think we have,” he said.
Freshmen Taylor Barnes and Abby Tiemann are both left-handed slap hitters who will hit for average and possess blazing speed. Cook said the duo can go from home plate to first base in about 2.5 seconds. Freshman Hannah Karl is a knowledgeable base runner who reads pitchers well.
“They will be a force on the bases,” Cook said. “This team is built on speed this year.”
Freshman Skylure Barrlow was highly sought after by many schools, Cook said, and she will bat in the No. 3 spot or cleanup.
Cook said it always takes the freshmen time to adapt to college pitching.
“They might have been the best player at their high school, but might be the seventh or eighth best player now,” Cook said. “Just because we put them in the seven-hole doesn’t mean we don’t have confidence in them.”
Sophomore pitcher Taylor Nordwald won 18 games for the Vikings last season. Nordwald chewed up 118 innings and had a 2.19 earned-run average. She struck out 73 batters and twirled nine complete games. Cook said Nordwald’s confidence has grown in the past year.
“She wore down a little last year and it showed during the regional tournament,” Cook said. “She will be a big contributor to our team this year. She’s more confident in her pitches. Her rise ball is one of her best pitches right now. She’s more of a pitcher than a thrower this year.”
Freshmen Corryn Hill and Kaitlynn Williams are the other two top starters in the circle. Sophomore Kate O’Day struggled with an elbow injury last season, but Cook said she looked sharp in the fall and she will be used as a middle reliever.
“She’s a spin ball-type pitcher,” Cook said. “Giving her one or two innings, and then putting someone in with a different approach will be good for us.”
Barnes (shortstop), Karl (second base), Nordwald (first base), Abby Meyers (catcher), Allison Murphy (catcher), Barrlow (third base), Abby McAteer (outfield), Abby Rollet (outfield) and Tiemann (outfield) will start in the field. Cook said the makeup of the defense is more athletic than last year.
“We’re working on putting people in positions,” Cook said. “We’re dealing with a couple of injuries. We’ve got some players trying to earn a spot.”