Riverview softball laying groundwork with inexperienced roster

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, March 27, 2021 | 10:01 AM

Jim Ashbaugh isn’t sure what to expect from the Riverview softball team this season.

He’s not alone in that concern among WPIAL softball coaches.

Having an inkling of what could occur is difficult to ascertain because of the effects from the coronavirus pandemic.

Missing a season guaranteed there will be uncertainty throughout the Raiders’ lineup this season.

“I lost seven players, and none of the girls got much experience last year,” Ashbaugh said. “It’s hard to judge what to expect and what not to expect. That way, it’s more of a teaching season for me to get the girls up to speed on softball knowledge and help improve their game IQ.”

Riverview’s track record of reaching the WPIAL playoffs has been solid. The Raiders have made five consecutive appearances and have made 11 trips to the playoffs in the last 12 seasons.

Riverview will be in Section 1-3A. The Raiders are lined up with Ellis, Leechburg, Northgate, St. Joseph and Springdale.

Zoey Metz will be taking over pitching duties for Riverview. She doesn’t have a lot of varsity experience but has thrown in rec leagues.

One other difficult aspect for the Raiders will be finding the time to get everyone up to speed. Riverview has several athletes who have busy schedules.

“I’m sharing a lot of my girls with track, so I don’t have them for the full practice time,” Ashbaugh said. “I’m trying to get as much out of them as possible. I’ve been drilling down on the basics. We don’t want people running on fly balls and things like that. We want to know when to run and what base to throw to and things like that. Fundamentals have been an emphasis.”

Tags: Riverview