Softball teams take sunny outlook to season

It’s a glorious early spring Thursday afternoon. and the Central Valley Bears are enjoying their first softball scrimmage of the season under a sky as blue as their letter jackets.

After greeting more than 50 players at the start of turnout, coach Jeff Van Horne still is debating which players will make his varsity.

It’s been that kind of spring all across the Spokane Valley.

At least they’ve all had glorious weather for the sorting process.

Each of the Valley’s Greater Spokane League schools enters the girls fastpitch season with holes to fill – and each faces a promising season.

The consensus picks to challenge for the GSL title are Shadle Park and Mead. Mt. Spokane could challenge, along with University and Central Valley.

The five-team Class 3A race will be a battle. North Central and Cheney both have veteran lineups, Clarkston has the league’s top returning pitcher, and East Valley was a playoff team as a 4A team before dropping down.

Central Valley Bears

Van Horne was all smiles after his scrimmage. Having a starting pitcher beginning her third varsity season can do that for a coach.

The Bears have junior Whitney McDaniel, the team’s starting pitcher since her freshman season.

“Whitney was throwing at about 80 percent of where she will be, and she looked good,” her coach said. “I was even more impressed with her hitting, to be honest.”

The rest of the lineup, however, is in a bit of flux.

Senior Katee Nauert will start at either shortstop or center field, depending on how the rest of the lineup fleshes out. Junior Rian Stiles will start in the infield.

Sophomores Emily Anderson and Mickenzie Alden will start in the outfield and behind the plate, respectively.

“The good thing is that we have a young, energetic group of hard-working girls,” Van Horne said. “Our team chemistry seems to be fantastic. It’s just a matter of sorting out who’s going to play where.

“The thing is that we’re all sophomores and juniors. We only have one senior, and that’s Katee. She’s taking on the responsibility of being a team captain along with Whitney.”

Anderson, Van Horne said, came into the start of practice looking to find a place to start.

The No. 2 pitcher behind McDaniel as a freshman, she opted to fill a hole in the Bears’ outfield rather than be a backup pitcher.

“She came to me and said she wanted to find a way to play more,” Van Horne said. “I told her to pick a spot – we have enough holes. She’s done a nice job and has worked hard.”

Sophomores Lindsey White and Michelle Lloyd both were impressive during Thursday’s scrimmage, giving the Bears a pair of quality backups.

East Valley Knights

The Knights start the season under a new but familiar coach.

Former baseball coach Kurt Krauth takes over from Rob Collins, who now coaches golf while pursuing his administration credentials.

“I’m a teacher at the school, and I always try to catch a couple games every year,” Krauth said. “Plus, by being a teacher, I know most of these kids from the classroom.”

The Knights have a solid group of returning veterans to build around but must find a starting catcher and pitching to back up starting senior Cassie Schreiber.

Schreiber was the backup to four-year varsity pitcher Spring Montgomery the past two seasons.

Seniors Angie Arment, Amanda Thompson and Jennifer Norwood start at shortstop, third and first base, respectively. Seniors Jamie Stewart and Lleah Dubrock anchor the outfield.

Thompson will likely back up Schreiber on the mound.

“We’re still looking at the catcher position,” Krauth said. “(Junior) Jackie Adams is back, and she played a few games back there last year. Danica Hanley is a sophomore that can give us some innings back there.”

University Titans

The Titans were 23-6 last year – a season after winning the State 4A championship.

“We’re going to be young at a lot of spots,” coach Jon Schuh said. “I’ve got two freshmen on the varsity – Alexis Obenchain and Riki Schiermeister – and I’ve never had a single freshman on the varsity.”

Back is All-GSL shortstop Angie Boardman and Mandy Daniels, both senior three-year starters. Also back is starting pitcher Linse Vlahovich.

“Linse is looking good,” Schuh said. “We also have (junior) Mandy Mikelson, who actually pitched some for us at last year’s regional tournament.

Sophomore Ashley Fargher, a transfer from Kamiakin High, will start behind the plate to start the season, but could move to third base.

“She was the starting shortstop at Kamiakin,” Schuh said. “But we have Angie there. She’s looking pretty good behind the plate. She has a good arm.”

Schiermeister, fresh off the U-Hi basketball varsity, will start at first base. Junior Tonya Schnibbe, a three-sport standout, will start at second base.

West Valley Eagles

The Eagles, a playoff team a year ago, graduated two outstanding starters in pitcher Hillary Shields and shortstop Morgan Thompson.

“It’s tough to lose two players of that quality,” coach Dana Schmerer said. “We’re going to be in a little bit of a rebuilding mode.”

Junior Kim Loberg steps into the role of No. 1 starting pitcher, replacing Shields.

“There’s a reason they call it fastpitch softball,” Schmerer said. “You need a pitcher if you’re going to compete.”

Three players will back up Loberg: junior Rachel Flambouras, sophomore Haley Bauman and freshman Allie Isaac.

Isaac, meanwhile, will catch, with outfielder Lindsay Hood filling in when she takes the mound.

The Eagles will look to seniors to anchor the defense. Jessica Gudgel returns to play second base. Randi Albertson will play third. Gabi LoBello will start in center field, flanked by Tricia Hansen.

The first goal, Schmerer said, will be to get through today’s jamboree.

“Out starting pitcher is at the state dance competition this weekend,” he said. “That means we’ll be throwing everything but the kitchen sink, just to get by.

“But I think we’ll be OK once we get into the start of play next week.”