By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
As he prepared for his first season as head coach in Saugatuck, Chad Burch thought he was set when it came to pitching.
That’s because sophomore Mikayla Jones (left) was set to return after establishing herself as the Trailblazers’ ace during her freshman season.
But an injury to Jones—one that could keep her out of the lineup for the entire season—has forced Burch to alter his plans.
“Pitching is, obviously, so important in softball, so I was feeling good about having Mikayla back,” Burch said. “But now we’ll have to find other girls to sfill that void for us.”
Returning senior Adrianna Cabrera, who also plays shortstop, is likely to see the bulk of the pitching innings in Jones’ absence.
Other top returning letterwinners include the junior duo of third baseman Hanna Walker and catcher/centerfielder Chloe Fris along with the sophomore tandem of second baseman/outfielder Camryn Howard and catcher/first baseman Pru Hosier.
“Hanna’s going to lead us offensively,” Burch said. “She had a very good season last year and I’m hoping to get her as much recognition as possible this season. I even think she has a chance at making All-State.”
Realignment in the SAC divisional setup—which resulted from the additions of Allegan, Bridgman, Holland Black River and South Haven to the conference—could help the Trailblazers be more competitive against divisional foes.
“We were in a really tough division before, which made it hard for us,” Burch said. “If Mikayla were healthy and able to pitch, I think we would have had a chance to finish near the top of the new division.
“As it is now, I still think we can finish in the middle of the pack. It will just depend on how quickly our new pitchers adjust.”