Season Preview: Melrose Softball Gets a Little Younger

It could be one of those seasons where Steve Wall won’t know what he has with his softball team until the season gets going. It might take a game, a week of games or halfway through the season, but after an 8-12 season in 2010, Wall is looking for bigger things in 2011.

The Red Raiders lost six seniors to graduation, with three of those players seemingly always penciled in the starting lineup. With four seniors, three juniors and five sophomores already on the team, it will be a younger roster needing some time to grow.

“Just looking at the personnel I think there is a lot of talent,” Wall said. “I think there is a lot of people who can play a lot of different positions. So there is a lot of flexibility going on, but I guess we really won’t know. We won’t have a regular lineup until we are a little ways in to the season”

Part of the not-knowing has been the fact that Wall hasn’t had a chance to see his new team on the field yet this preseason. The weather has kept the Red Raiders practicing inside for a majority of the early spring, and Wall is hoping to get outside sometime over the next few days.

When the Red Raiders do get outside, they can count on a sophomore to anchor the rotation. 

Morgan Phipps spent some time on the mound as a freshman last season and now she will be asked to shoulder the load this season.

“She will be our No. 1 starter,” Wall said. “She was pitching for us last year and she has a pretty good presence on the mound. She throws hard. She throws a mix of pitches. I think more than anyone else she brings the most experience.”

Even though they may be young and Wall might not know what to expect, he does want to field a team that will compete day-in-and-day-out and hopefully have a shot at some postseason experience.

“I expect to go out and be in every game until the very end,” he said. “I think it’s a realistic goal to think we can make the playoffs this year.”