Jeannette softball will be young again

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, March 15, 2018 | 6:21 PM

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After reaching the WPIAL Class A softball playoffs in 2016, Jeannette endured a rebuilding year last season.

The Jayhawks will remain a work in progress this year, too.

“We did have a young team last year, but we graduated three very good seniors (Kara Johnston, Hannah Poth and Jada Morgan) who were three- or four-year starters,” Jeannette coach Zac Karas said. “We had seven freshmen on the team last year, but I feel like we're even younger this year. We're mostly going to be sophomores and freshmen. I do think it'll be another year where we have to get some younger girls a lot of game action.”

Three seniors — Chloe Stein, Savannah Berry and Lyndsay Winfield — are expected to play big roles this season.

“Chloe played in center field and that's where we see her this year. Savannah is dealing with an ankle injury, but she is expected to be OK by the time the season starts. When she is healthy, I plan on her being our shortstop again,” Karas said. “Lindsay has played off and on the last few years, but I expect her to start and make a big contribution this season.”

Jeannette looks for more good things from Faith Johnston in the pitching circle. As a freshman, she took over pitching duties.

“She pitched every inning for us. I thought she did a good job coming right in and pitching. She had decent numbers, too,” Karas said. “We didn't give her a lot of help in the field. Our scores were bad, but probably more than half of the runs we gave up were unearned. She did a good job keeping her composure despite all the errors we made. She will be pitching again this year, and we're excited about what we have with her.”

Karas hopes Johnston continues to work on locating her pitches.

“She has been trying to develop a couple new pitches. She played some travel ball over the summer and worked on them, and I am intrigued by them. We want to make sure she can throw them effectively, though,” he said. “She wants to learn how to throw a riseball. We like her ambition. Batters made more contact against her than I would like, so she is working more on location and getting the ball in the spots where they need to be so we can get more groundballs.”

Also one of the team's top hitters, Johnston will have a familiar face in the lineup in twin sister Grace Johnston.

“Grace played some first base and outfield last year. I am not sure where she will wind up,” Karas said. “She was a contributor and hit in the middle of the lineup, too. Both have some power at the plate. We're expecting big things from those two.”

Their older sister, Kara Johnston, graduated and left a big void behind the plate.

“This is my fifth year as head coach and I was an assistant for a year before that, and we've always had good catchers,” Karas said. “Kara was our catcher for four years, but we really have no idea who will be our catcher this year. That'll be a challenge. I tell the girls that it's a place to step up, and it might be the easiest way to get on the field right away. We'll see how it goes.”

Jeannette finished 6-8 overall and 5-7 in Section 3-A play a year ago. The Jayhawks hope their young players come together quickly so they can better those marks.

“We have some new players, two or three new sophomores on the team and a couple girls who have never played before, but they play other sports and they just love playing sports. They are learning the game,” Karas said. “We want enthusiastic players, and we have enthusiastic practices. We want them to buy in on having fun and, before they know it, they are learning, too. I am encouraged by what I have seen from the girls who have been able to make it to practices. We just have to get back to working on the basics.”

Joe Sager is a freelance writer.

Tags: Jeannette