Fall Sports Preview: Bluejay Softball

JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
Northeast Nodaway softball: front from left; Mylee Wilmes, Sasha Deardorff, Hadley DeFreece, Jill Boswell, Brianna Meyer, Serveria Hall; back; Makenzie Pride, Ashlynn Kennard, Gracie Kohlleppel, Blair Nelson and Lindsey Jackson. Not pictured: Baylie Busby and Hayley Yost.

In 2019 and 2020, the Northeast Nodaway softball lost 30-straight games. In 2021, the Bluejays got an influx of freshmen talent who were determined to change the trajectory of the program.

Baylie Busby, Hadley DeFreece, Lindsey Jackson and their class were added to the existing core of the Bluejays with Jill Boswell, Ruby Wilmes, Lauren McIntyre, Meredith Adwell and Jaden Atkins.

That group found success quickly, going 16-7 in 2021 and 11-8 last season including winning their first district game since 2015. Now the Jays will go through a transition again with Wilmes, McIntyre, Adwell and Atkins all graduated and leaving holes in the lineup.

“It is pretty exciting bringing a good group of girls back,” Bluejay coach Payton Adwell said. “We lost a lot and we are going to miss them in key positions, but there are a lot of young girls stepping up. They have been around the game and they are ready to step up.”

The Bluejays have their leaders back at what are traditionally considered the four most important positions in the sport. That starts with their pitcher DeFreece.

“It is exciting having our core back,” Adwell said.

The junior has been dominant through two seasons with the program. As a sophomore, she had a 1.87 ERA with 139 strikeouts and 12 walks in 112 1/3 innings.

“She threw a lot this summer and learned a couple new pitches, so she has definitely taken a step up to grow in that aspect,” Adwell said.

DeFreece hasn’t allowed her success to lead to her slowing down though and has worked with a pitching coach this summer as well as playing for both the Bluejays and Trojanette club team. She’s hoping to continue to develop her changeup as well as featuring a new pitch or two that she’s been working on.

“Just really get my changeup perfect,” DeFreece said on her goal for the year. “And get better at hitting.”

Jackson threw 13 2/3 innings last season as the team’s No. 2 pitcher and finished with a 5.12 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 10 walks.

“It is pretty exciting,” Jackson said. “We’ve got some pretty talented freshmen. I’m pretty sure that we are going to win more than we did last season. I think it will be a pretty successful year.”

At the plate, DeFreece held down the No. 2 spot in the order and hit .364 with nine extra-base hits.

DeFreece will have to deal with her own transition at the beginning of the season with classmate and catcher Baylie Busby breaking her leg in the offseason and likely to miss the first portion of the season. Busby is one of the top catchers in all of Class 1 with a .397 batting average and 10 extra-base hits as a sophomore.

Without Busby, the team’s lone senior Jill Boswell will likely move up in the order. The 4-year starter at shortstop hit .339 — third on the team — last year with four doubles and three triples.

“I’m really excited because last year, districts didn’t turn out exactly the way we wanted,” Boswell said. “This year (is about) getting back on the horse, trying harder and hopefully getting back to that point.”

Boswell forms half of the Jays’ experienced left side of the infield with Jackson manning third base for a third-straight season. She hit .174 as a junior with a .333 on-base percentage.

“I’ve been going to batting coaches and they’ve been helping,” Jackson said. “I just want to help my team out by getting runs on the board.

“It is awesome (playing next to Boswell). I love Jill Boswell. She is just always there. If the ball goes past me, I know that she is going to get it. Nothing gets past her.”

The team loses their right side of the infield but have veterans ready to step in with Makenzie Pride at first base and Mylee Wilmes at second base.

Pride hit .200 last season as a part-time starter. Wilmes was the team’s designated hitter to end the season after earning more time as her freshman season went. She finished fifth on the team with a .286 batting average in 12 games.

The Jays get a boost from a big incoming freshman class this season. With Busby out, Hayley Yost will take on the catching duties. Blair Nelson played for both the Bluejays and Trojanettes this summer. She played in center field primarily in addition to the infield for the Trojanettes.

“Blair Nelson and Brianna Meyer, they are both very hard-working and they have a lot of potential,” Boswell said. “I am just really excited to see how they do throughout the year.”

The Bluejays open the season on Friday at home against North Harrison — an annual Friday night tradition for the two schools without home football games.

“Stay hungry,” Adwell said of the team’s goals. “And don’t dwell on last year, but keep it in the back of our head to do better.”