Old Fort baseball, softball previews

OLD FORT – Two games into the softball season and Jason Ward likes what he sees.

The first-year coach at Old Fort has a team whose mixture of youth and experience has begun the season 2-0 and has eyes on a lot more winning.

“This team here is capable of definitely being at the top of the league, if not somewhere at the state here in the future,” Ward said. “They’re doing exactly what they need to do to be a winning program.”

Part of that success is due to an offense that has scored 16 runs and 19 hits in its opening week wins over Marion Harding (3-2) and Arcadia (13-6).

While one of the Stockaders’ leading hitters from a season ago has graduated in Krista Ward (.385 batting average), returning letter-winners Allison Adelsperger, Sara Bell, Hali Kimmet, Jordan Magers and Mackenzie Ward each hit .333 or higher last season.

Ward said a talented crop of freshman will only add to the Stockaders’ offensive firepower.

“The sophomore and upcoming freshman have got some talent,” Ward said. “We’re trying to work in their aspects and their abilities to do well at different positions so that we make the team successful.”

Pitching duties will largely fall to Alyssa Pence and Magers. Pence picked up both of the Stockaders wins this week with six strikeouts.

“Both are very, very good individuals and successful so far this season,” Ward said.

Old Fort returns to action Friday with a trip to Monroeville.

“The girls are playing very well,” Ward said. “They’ve worked very hard the last couple weeks and so far it’s been very successful for us. The kids are working hard they’re being successful and they’re doing exactly what we’re asking them. We’re playing ball real well right now.”

Stockaders ready to start winning

A season ago the Old Fort baseball team compiled a record of 5-19, but coach Gary Wilson believes the Stockaders’ loss column didn’t reflect how competitive his team was.

But Old Fort is ready to leave just being competitive behind and start winning.

“A big challenge this year is getting our team to believe that we are capable of winning rather than just competing,” Wilson said. “Our record the last couple years is not indicative of how well we were able to compete with most teams. We had quite a few close games that we let get away from us or we had one or two bad innings. We need to overcome this and develop a winning attitude.”

The Stockaders have had mixed results thus far this spring. Old Fort opened the season Monday with a 3-1 win over Marion Harding but then saw Arcadia score two runs in the top of the seventh inning for a come-from-behind 4-3 win.

Old Fort has also seen enough from its pitching staff in the early going to be optimistic. Brandon Tittle and Jake Wilson each threw complete games allowing four hits apiece. Tittle picked up the win while striking out eight and walking one while Wilson, despite the loss against Arcadia, fanned 10 batters.

“We have strong pitchers with solid experience returning this year and practice has shown that we are capable of making the plays on defense,” Wilson said. “I look for significant improvement at the plate as a team this year as it has been an area of focus in practice.”

rmcgowan@gannett.com

419-334-1043

Twitter: @RMcGowan1