Like death and taxes, the Christian County Lady Colonels winning the 8th District softball crown has been virtually a certainty over the past couple of decades. The last time it did not happen was in 2004, when they lost to Hopkinsville in the district championship game.
Even then, the Lady Colonels would reach the regional final and lose a 1-0 heartbreaker to Hopkins Central, who would go on to finish 3rd in that year’s state tournament.
As the 2022 season gets underway, Christian County will once again be the heavy favorite to take the 8th district crown. But the Lady Colonels will have their sights set on an even bigger prize, that being returning to the state softball tournament for the first time since 2018, which was also the last time they won a game in the 2nd Region tournament. A region title would be the perfect conclusion for the next to last season for the program.
A very young Christian County team still found the way to win 23 games last season before losing a tough one-run game to Union County in the opening round of the 2nd Region tournament. That team did pick up wins over Lyon County, Madisonville, Marshall County, Male, and Owensboro Catholic.
The Lady Colonels will have two big slots to fill from last year’s team. Gone are Tenley Gilbert and Reni Shemwell, both of whom are playing on the collegiate level this spring. Shemwell hit .419 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs before being injured late in the season.
Gilbert hit .346 with 6 home runs and 33 RBIs. Both were integral parts of the Lady Colonels team in the 2019 and 2021 seasons.
Even with those two big losses, Christian County returns significant talent and experience as we roll into the new softball season.
Leading the returners for the Lady Colonels is U of L signee Pickle Winkler. Winkler was the team’s leading hitter last season with a .543 average. Winkler also hit 5 home runs and had 40 RBIs out of the leadoff slot for Christian County. Coach Sheri Hancock adds “Pickle Winkler is our offensive leader. If she gets on we score runs.”
Karlee Crick was an anchor for Christian County at catcher in 2021. Crick ended the season with a .408 batting average, with 3 home runs and 38 RBIs. On Crick, Coach Hancock notes “Karlee Crick will need to put up offensive numbers if we want to score.”
Another name to watch out for at the plate will be Gracie Harned. Harned hit .427 last season and was second on the team in doubles with ten. Harned hit a home run Thursday evening in Christian County’s scrimmage win over Russellville. Coach Hancock states “I’m expecting Gracie to have an increase in power and hit some home runs this season.”
As for other contributors at the plate this season, “Avery Adcock hopefully has a bigger role in our offense than last year. She has the ability to put pressure on defenses with her speed but also hit for power. Allie Houchens will help fill the void offensively from losing players to graduation. She had two hits in the scrimmage. Lailai McGregor has been our hottest hitter early on in practice. She will hit for power for us.”
Coach Sheri Hancock notes that while they lost two big hitters out of the lineup, “I think we will see more power up and down the line up this year. It’s just going to be spread out more and not confined to just a few hitters. And I think we are going to have more speed so hopefully, we can put pressure on people.”
Christian County will not be lacking for experience in the circle this season. Riley Hancock and Gracie Harned combined to pitch 200 innings last season.
Harned was 13-7 with an ERA of 3.60. She finished the year with 71 strikeouts and 37 walks.
Hancock was 10-7 and had five saves, with an ERA of 4.11. Riley had 53 strikeouts and 33 walks.
Coach Sheri Hancock says pitching figures to be one of her team’s strengths and “we definitely have a strong pitching staff with Riley and Gracie. Both are number 1 caliber pitchers.”
Hancock expects defense to be a strength of the Lady Colonels in 2022 and expects that defense to be aided by the transfer of Anna Hodge. “Our defense I think has been helped by the transfer of Anna Hodge. She can make some big-time plays at second.”
As for her concerns going into the season, Coach Hancock says her team needs to work on the ability to close out games and to develop consistency on offense.
As usual, the schedule will have plenty of opportunities for the Lady Colonels to be tested. Home games include matchups with Owensboro Catholic, Henderson County, Lyon County, Madisonville, Marshall County, and McCracken County.
Road games and tournament contests will include Male, Greenwood, Lyon County, South Warren, McCracken County, Calloway County, and Daviess County.
The Lady Colonels are set to open the season Monday at home against Graves County.
