Butler Softball eager to get season started and make return trip to Utah
Head coach Doug Chance and the Butler softball team has one goal in mind this season, win.
The Butler Grizzlies enter the 2020 season with 16th year head coach Doug Chance at the helm. Their goal is not out of the ordinary as winning isn't foreign to Butler softball nor this coaching staff as they have won 12 out of the last 14 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference championships, 10 out of the last 13 Region VI Championships, and two out of the last four NJCAA Championships, with a third-place finish in 2018.
"We are just looking forward to facing competition," said head coach Doug Chance. "It has been a long winter and the girls are ready to get out and play someone in a different color jersey."
Butler will open up their season down in San Antonio, TX January 31-February 1 where they will get their first taste of real game action.
"I can't wait to be outside and playing in some warmer weather," said assistant coach Zach Sigler.
The Grizzlies have spent a majority of the semester practicing indoors while getting to be outside just a handful of times. This isn't unique to the area in early season, so the Butler staff know how to manage the players and get done what they need to even if that means getting it done indoors.
"It might take a few live games to get used to the speed of live action," commented Chance.
The last live action the team saw was this past fall during their fall ball season. Their last game action was in mid-October, over three months ago.
"Fall went really well," mentioned Chance. "We had the opportunity to face several NCAA Division I teams and challenge our players. That will pay dividends come this season for us."
Last year, the Grizzlies capped off a great season with another trip to the NJCAA Division I World Series, their tenth appearance in the last thirteen years. They had an overall record of 43-8 on the season with a KJCCC record of 25-1, their only conference loss coming to Barton in a 7-2 contest on March 22, 2019.
Butler returns seven sophomores from last year's team and coach Chance hopes that their experience from last season will help lead the freshman.
"Our sophomores have World Series experience," commented Chance. "Having already been there and done that, it should be a calming effect for everyone through their confidence on the field."
"Taliya Talley, Asia Henry and Anna Icenhower will provide a lot of power in the lineup for us this year. Olivia DePew, Kris Lucas, and Cassidi Doyle will give us experience in the pitchers circle," said Chance about his returning sophomores.
Along with the seven sophomores, twelve freshmen round out the Grizzly roster. Coach Chance believes there are a number of freshmen that will have an immediate impact and start contributing right away.
"Hannah Knox will provide a lot of power in our lineup. She will also provide power in the pitching circle along with Kelcie Kippes and Londyn Bardin," said Chance. "Madi Young and Emily Adler will keep us strong up the middle as well as setting the table for the big hitters."
Butler will miss the nine sophomores that graduated after last season but have done a good job filling the gaps that of those players that left.
"The biggest shoes to fill will be replacing Megan Johnson and Kaylee Burnett," said Chance. "Both were dominant pitchers for us last season. However, with the progress of our sophomore pitchers and the addition of three great freshmen, I believe our pitching staff will be much better than last year."
The Grizzlies open up the 2020 campaign down south in Texas as they will play in the San Antonio Tournament at Alva Jo Fischer Park. They will open up with Northeast Texas on Friday, January 31 at 12:00pm followed by Trinity Valley at 2:15 and again at 6:45pm. They face Galveston College on Saturday, February 1 at 11:00am and Northeast Texas at 1:15pm to finish up the tournament.