High School Softball: Greenon eyes league title in first season in OHC

Greenon pitcher Sierra Potter, who got the start against Catholic Central on Monday night, gives the Knights’ added depth from the rubber along with Bailey Romine and Sydney Wells. Greg Billing / Contributed

Greenon pitcher Sierra Potter, who got the start against Catholic Central on Monday night, gives the Knights’ added depth from the rubber along with Bailey Romine and Sydney Wells. Greg Billing / Contributed

The Ohio Heritage Conference serves as the new home for the Greenon Knights softball team.

But as first-year coach Dan Price knows, the Knights are never too far away from the Central Buckeye Conference. Once Greenon finishes with its OHC schedule – which it hopes results in a South Division championship – the team will see those familiar faces in the Division II sectional tournament.

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“Our sectional is basically the CBC. We’ll take what we get and go play,” said Price, who takes over the program from Todd Shuttleworth. “I feel like we can win every time we take the field. I have to get the kids to believe that. Hopefully we can get that attitude going.”

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Greenon has reached double-digit wins two of the past three seasons. The Knights finished 9-13 overall and 2-11 in the CBC last season. Price, who coached softball at Clark State for seven seasons and spent the last five as the junior varsity girls basketball coach at Greenon, thinks the Knights can get there again this season.

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Nine of the 12 players were on varsity last season so experience returns. That was one of the motivating factors that convinced Price to return to softball.

“I still love the game. And I had four players on the basketball team who were softball players,” he said. “They kept coming to me and telling me to apply for the job. I got the bug and I went for it. I enjoy coaching kids and working with kids. I have a great bunch of kids. They listen, they play hard and they want to compete every day.”

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Senior center fielder and co-captain Maleigha Young hit .394 last season and knocked in 13 runs as a gap hitter who gets on base.

“She’s a gamer,” Price said. “She finds a way to get things done. She loves to win.”

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Senior catcher, shortstop and co-captain Mariah Gossett hit .322 and will continue her career at Capital University.

“She can play anywhere,” Price said of his No. 2 hitter. “If I put her in the outfield she can compete out there, too.”

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Sophomore first baseman and third baseman Alex Cunningham and sophomore second baseman Makenna Young are also expected to be among the key contributors.

Sophomores Bailey Romine and Sydney Wells will split time pitching. Both throw five pitches and throw hard.

“They’re both interchangeable,” Price said. “They’re competitive but they support each other. They both want to be the one on the mound, but if it’s not their turn they’ll go play their position and do a good job.”

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Greenon moved up to Division II this season meaning another trip through the sectional tournament field loaded with CBC teams Bellefontaine, Benjamin Logan, Graham, Kenton Ridge, Northwestern and Shawnee.

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“We’ll wait and see. Hopefully we’ll be on a good roll (going into the tournament) and so some damage,” Price said. “We’ve got a lot of games ahead of us to work and get better. … I think we’ll compete for our league title, I really do. We have a chance to win our side of the league.”

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