The Prairie Fire softball team expects to build on the improvements made last season, including the most wins in five years.
Fourth-year head coach Ashley Sims returns seven players from the 2012 team that finished with a 9-17 record, the most wins for the program since the 2005 squad won 10 games. Knox ended last season strong, winning four of the last five games
The returning players include just one senior, three juniors, and three sophomores. Four of the six new players are first-years, one is a sophomore, and one is a junior.
“We are a young team, but the upperclassmen we have are experienced and the team is coming together well,” Sims said.
Knox returns its top three hitters from a year ago and will rely heavily again this season on two-time All-Midwest Conference selection Amber Eisha (South Wilmington, IL, Gardner-South Wilmington).
Eisha, a junior, batted .367 – which tied for eighth in the conference – with two home runs, eight doubles, and 12 RBI. She also pitched in 22 games, starting 15, and tossed 102.1 innings.
Eisha ranked in the top 10 in the MWC in six pitching categories, had six victories, including three shutouts, and 13 complete games. She also recorded the team’s only save and struck out 62 batters. Her three shutouts in 2012 tied a team record. She’s also third all-time with 22 pitching appearances in a season, and her 62 strikeouts last season rank fourth in Knox softball history.
Besides Eisha, another potent bat will be back in the Prairie Fire lineup this season.
Sophomore infielder Rhiannon Neuville (Eugene, OR, South Eugene) led the team and was third in the MWC with a .387 batting average. She tied Eisha for team-high honors with 29 hits while leading Knox with 21 runs scored, a .452 on base percentage, and six stolen bases.
Knox will also look to last year’s top run producer to pick up where she left off. Junior outfielder Avecena Hollingsworth (Tigard, OR, Tigard) hit .297 and had 17 RBIs. She was third on the team with 21 hits, including six doubles and three stolen bases.
“There is potential this season for the best offensive lineup we’ve had in the three seasons since I took over the program,” Sims said. “Our overall level of talent and athleticism are also better, making us more solid.”
The other returning players are Jill Krippel (Plainfield, IL, Plainfield Central), the lone senior on the team, junior Anna Lemen (Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati Country Day), and sophomores Brittney Price (Wyoming, IL, Stark County) and Claire Neri (Melrose Park, IL, West Leyden).
Lemen, who pitches and plays the infield, had three victories and worked 54.1 innings in the circle last season. She made 13 appearances, 11 of them starts, and completed four games.
Krippel started 24 games in 2012. She had seven hits at the plate with three RBIs and eight runs. Price started 16 games and had nine hits, including a pair of doubles, and three runs batted in. Neri made three starts in 12 games played.
The newcomers include a third pitcher and first-year infielder Karli Shields (Naperville, IL, Neuqua Valley). The three other first-years are Lorena Amarillo (Chicago, IL, Noble Street College Prep), Annie Ford (Oak Park, IL, Oak Park-River Forest), and Christina Gustin (Chicago, IL, Von Steuben).
The team also has high expectations for sophomore outfielder Kayla Behrens (Moline, IL, Moline) and junior infielder Alyssa Bleidorn (Batavia, IL, Batavia ).
Sims said the team has good hitters and the potential to be a real offensive threat.
“If we are going to win more games, our offense has to produce consistently. The lineup will be an area of improvement, as well as an addition to our pitching staff,” she said. “Our three-person (pitching) staff will allow us more flexibility that we’ve not had in the past.”
Knox begins MWC South Division play on March 30 at Illinois College. The Prairie Fire’s home opener is April 7 against Lake Forest College.
