The Wilmington High School softball team, from left to right, front row, Zoey Zurface, Keiana Murdock, Bailey Wheeler, Toria Willis, Layla Reynolds, Nevaeh Blackburn, Katelynn Walls; back row, Emily Gerard, Adrianna Eltzroth, Lilly Trentman, Lauren Diels, Jaydin Applegate, Danni Riley, Savannah Murtland. Team member Naomi Sanders was not present for the photo.
As he approaches the 2023 season, Wilmington High School softball coach Brian Spurlock says the plan this season is quite simple.
“We will have to be better in every aspect of the game than we were last year,” he said. “We need more consistency, both offensively and defensively, from the entire squad.”
The Hurricane finished 3-15 in 2022.
Spurlock is now in his fifth season as head coach. He will be assisted by Lacy Myers (varsity assistant), Brian Roberts (varsity assistant), Courtney Smart (varsity assistant), Paige Younker (JV head coach), Gordon Cordell (JV assistasnt coach) and Kacy Younker (JV assistant coach).
The big hit, no pun intended, with improving in 2023 is the loss of Jena Rhoads. Rhoads (.592 average, 18 SB), now playing at Northern Kentucky University, was first-team All-SBAAC.
Toria Willis was second team all-league and is among nine returning letterwinners, six of whom were starters in 2022. Lauren Diels is a newcomer of note, Spurlock said, and will provide pitching depth to the WHS squad this season.
SCHEDULE
March 25^Monroe^A^11a
March 27^Clermont NE^H^430p
March 29^Washington CH^H^5p
March 30^Batavia^H^430p
March 31^Blanchester^H^430p
April 1^Lynchburg^H^11a, 1230p
April 3^Clinton-Massie^A^430p
April 4^McClain^H^5p
April 5^Western Brown^A^430p
April 8^Williamsburg^H^TBA
April 10^New Richmond^H^430p
April 11^East Clinton^A^430p
April 12^Goshen^H^430p
April 14^Bethel-Tate^H^430p
April 17^Batavia^A^430p
April 19^Greeneview^A^5p
April 21^Clinton-Massie^H^430p
April 22^Princeton^A^10a
April 24^Western Brown^H^430p
April 26^New Richmond^A^430p
May 1^Goshen^A^430p
May 2^Mt Notre Dame^H^530p
May 3^Trot-Madison^H^5p
May 5^Hillsboro^A^5p
