Youthful NMCC Lady Eagles are thrilled for the chance to compete

The New Madrid County Central softball team and first-year coach Matt Hartman will have their work cut out for them this season with a youthful roster.

The Lady Eagles are expected to start five freshmen, and several others could see significant playing time.

“We are eager to get going,” Hartman said. “We feel like we can get runs in bunches. We will not overpower many teams in the circle but we are solid defensively with some solid arms across the infield. We are young and it is very possible that we will not find our true identity until midseason.”

Junior Kylee Sturgeon and sophomore Destiny Hughes are the team’s top returners.

Hughes will play centerfield and has vastly improved her hitting, Sturgeon pitched sparingly last year and looks to take on the bulk of the work on the mound and senior Ashlyn Byrne will play first base and has made adjustments with her bat that will benefit the team.

“Hughes brings speed, a big bat and good range in center field,” Hartman said. “Sturgeon provides reliable starting pitching and experience in the circle and Byrne has grit, a great work ethic and is extremely coachable.”

Others expected to contribute are junior Kate Taylor, sophomore Mikera Jackson and freshmen Joebeth Riley, Laura Kate Johnson, Emma Howard, Jordan Maltbia and Miley Cook.

Taylor, a catcher, is a smart player with a superior work ethic; Jackson is fast and smart; Riley has a big bat and powerful arm; Johnson has speed and is a slap-hitting leadoff hitter who also pitches; Howard and Maltbia have solid bats and can play any position; and Cook is another big bat who will step up wherever needed.

“We feel like we will be a good hitting team with a solid defense,” Hartman said. “We have two incredible assistant coaches. Madison Bond who coached last year, and has college softball playing experience, is a strength of the coaching staff. Ben Johnson has made contributions to our softball team for years. He has donated his time and his facilities to NMCC for as long as I can remember. This year he comes to us as a volunteer assistant and we are so proud to have him on board. Both coach Bond and coach Johnson are essential to NMCC softball success.”

NMCC (0-1) had a rocky start to the season with a 19–6 loss to Senath-Hornersville with Southland (1-0) on Saturday, March 18.

The Lady Eagles host Caruthersville (0-0) on Monday, March 20.

“We will pay with great energy and pickup our sisters on the field,” Hartman said. “I expect improvement after every game.”