The 2014 Three Rivers varsity softball team.
(Photo by Natalie Brew)
Having a successful girls basketball team at Three Rivers is very nice.
With several of those same players on the girls softball team, first year coach Kendra Kutz hopes that success on the hardwood translates to success on the diamond.
‘’Once we had softball tryouts, I was impressed,’’ Kutz said. ‘’Half of the team was in basketball, but you can tell they’ve worked on softball, too.’’
Several trained with Bob Newell, who works with players in the offseason.
‘’That was a tremendous help because he covered a lot of the fundamentals,’’ Kutz said. ‘’Many of them went to him for hitting and pitching.’’
In softball, it usually starts with pitching and Kutz feels she has several good ones. Senior Madi Cornish anchors the team with sophomore Teah Mayer the number two pitcher. All-sport standout senior Teagan Reeves will play mostly first base, but will also do some pitching.
‘’Madi is looking good and Teah is going to be a key asset for us,’’ Kutz said. ‘’She can pitch, hit and play any position on the field.
‘’She doesn’t look like a sophomore.’’
Kutz will also be looking at senior All-Wolverine Conference infielder Brittany White for hits and runs this season. Cornish and Reeves were also all-league last season.
The Wildcats only have four seniors – Cornish, Klinger, Reeves and outfielder Kayla Turner – along with eight juniors and one sophomore. She also has been impressed with a large freshman class which will play on the junior varsity team.
While Kutz is in her first year of coaching, she knows the Wolverine Conference teams pretty well. She was an umpire last season.
‘’I had a chance to watch Coloma and Edwardsburg last season and they are good and should be at the top of the Wolverine,’’ she said. ‘’South Haven lost a lot, but coach Wilma Wilson has decided to return, so it should be good, too.’’
As with many other league teams, just finding a place to practice outside has been a challenge.
‘’We can do hitting drills inside, but we need to go outside for fielding and building team chemistry,’’ Kutz said. ‘’We were supposed to play two games (between March 24-29) and both were cancelled.
‘’We don’t have any games scheduled the next week after that and then comes spring break. When we return, we’re supposed to play on the Tuesdayafter break (April 15). It’s going to be interesting.’’
A look at the Wildcats
Coach: Kendra Kutz (1st year)
Last season: 12-15 overall, 7-9 Wolverine Conference, fourth place.
Returning lettermen: Brittany Klinger (IF, Sr.), Teagan Reeves (IF/P, Sr.), Madi Cornish (P/IF, Sr.), Emma Conroy (C, Jr.); Kayla Turner (OF, Sr.).
Newcomers: Sophomores: Teah Mayer (P/IF). Juniors: Anna Ochsenrider (IF); Bri Brown (OF/IF); Molly Hawkins (IF); Taylor Schultz (OF); Brittany White (OF/C); Brionica Bennett (IF); Alyssa Smith (IF).