The Sandburg softball team departed for its spring break trip this week as the Chargers play eight games against teams from in and around Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla.
Sandburg, led by 21st-year coach Todd Winkler, opens Saturday at Northwest Florida State, then has doubleheaders next week at Coastal Alabama South, Pensacola State and Bishop State.
The Chargers will host Bay at noon March 17 in their first home doubleheader of the season. Sandburg’s first Arrowhead Conference matchup is March 18 at home against Sauk Valley.
KEY RETURNERS
Ailexa Hunter (Abingdon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon), sophomore infielder
• Played in all 41 games as a freshman last year, leading the team with 25 runs scored.
• Finished with a .258 average to go with 13 RBIs and four home runs among her 15 extra-base hits.
• Was second on the team with 82.2 innings pitched and struck out a team-best 87 batters.
Mary Hellige (Fort Madison, Iowa/Holy Trinity), sophomore pitcher
• Led the Chargers with 22 starts, 25 appearances and 106 innings in the circle last season.
Bailey Ryan (Media, Ill./West Central), sophomore outfielder
• Logged a team-high 128 at-bats as a freshman.
• Ended the year with four homers, 19 RBIs and four steals.
KEY NEWCOMERS
• Jordyn Climer (Basco, Ill./Warsaw), freshman infielder
• Paige Huffman (Kewanee, Ill./Wethersfield), freshman infielder
• Hannah Pyle (Economy, Ind./Hagerstown), freshman infielder
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?
Winkler: “I look for this team to be very competitive and be in a position to win each game. We’ll be scrappy and fight till the last out.”
THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …
Winkler: “We can start believing and trust ourselves and the team. We need to have a great mental game and learn to bounce back from adversity.”
GAMES TO WATCH
• April 1 vs. Black Hawk
• April 17 at Black Hawk
HOW TO FOLLOW THE CHARGERS
• Get live updates on GameChanger. Search for “Carl Sandburg Chargers” to follow the team.
• Sign up for SportReporting to get free text and/or email notifications of Chargers game results.
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