2022 Softball Season Preview

Erik Holth, CBC Sports Information Director

            Conway, Ark. – Armed with a new head coach and coming off a season where they finished one game short of an appearance in the NAIA Softball World Series, Central Baptist College opens their 2022 season tomorrow afternoon at the City of Colleges Park softball complex. First pitch against Cottey College is slated for 1 p.m. and links to live coverage can be found on the web and on social media.

            "Practice has been pretty good," said Keith Hinson, who was hired in August to replace Jordon Jones. "We're going to have a young team all the way through. We have two seniors and the rest of the returners are sophomores. We have some JUCO transfers coming in as well. We're pretty solid, we've got a good pitching staff and we've got a lot of depth throughout the whole team. We can go at least two deep at every position. That always makes competition good at practice when they have to challenge for a spot."

            The group of returners are led by first team all-AMC selection and Freshman of the Year Hannah Work returns in the circle and second-team All-AMC selection Ysabella Esquivel returns in the circle and in the outfield. Infielder Lauren Anderson, outfielder Tobi Finley and infielder Madi Spears also return as well as pitcher Gracie Keathley, catcher Haleigh Beck, third baseman Kirstie Blackwood, a starter from two years ago, and Savannah Sanford, who missed all of last season with an injury. The newcomers are mostly freshman, but are dotted throughout with eight transfers. The transfers include Averie Ayers and her former teammate at Northeast Texas Community College Emily Cole, Allison Wagle, a former All-Sun Coast Conference second-team catcher at South Florida State College, Heather Hoffman and her former North Central Texas College teammate Katie Smith, Maggi Huddleston, a pitcher for South Arkansas Tech and two NAIA transfers in Aubrey Jackson from Crowley's Ridge and Victoria Lasker from Bushnell University in Oregon. The freshman include Alex Jeter, Caroline Byers, Jordyn Frederic, Mallory Reynolds, Kristen Walderns, Mia Clark, Allie McWhorter, Reagan Ousted, Madalyn Tubbs, Emma Golden, Melanie Phillips and Mollie Johnson.

            "We've got a lot of strong bats this year," added Hinson. "I'm really looking forward to it. Our defense is also solid."

            The Mustangs, who finished last season at 34-15 overall and 16-2 in the AMC, were picked to finish second in the AMC again this season by the coaches. "If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best," said Hinson when asked about his schedule. "When we go through putting together our lineup, we want to have some good competition because we only get better if we play better teams. From what I understand, Columbia is going to be pretty solid. I know that Williams Baptist has picked up some pretty good players this year and from what I hear Lyon has as well, so I think it's going to be a little stronger than what it's been in the past. We've got our work cut out for us."

            "We need to have that home field advantage," said Hinson. "As many people as we can get in the stands, that will just make us a stronger team. The team will play hard and if people are there supporting them, that just makes them play harder. We are working on our conditioning, we're going to be able to play as long as we need to play and we'll be just as strong in the seventh inning as we are in the first inning."

            Be sure to come out and support the Mustangs softball team all season long!