The Trigg County High School softball program won’t break the bank on senior night budgets over the next three years as the Lady Wildcats will take one of its youngest teams ever into the 2022 softball season.
Coach Ashley Denfip has no seniors on this year’s squad and only one junior and one sophomore. However, there is a return of the nucleus that saw considerable action during last year’s 8-17 campaign that saw the Lady Wildcats lose to Lyon County in the district semi-finals.
Sophomore Riley Hendricks returns after hitting .364 with two homers and 16 RBIs. She looks to play multiple positions for the Lady Wildcats this year.
Her cousin MaKenna Hendricks returns at short and will see some time behind the plate. As a seventh-grader, Hendricks hit .306 with 11 RBIs.
Lillie Cortner returns at second base after hitting .277 with a team-high 17 RBIs. Junior Audrey Alexander (.255, 12 RBIs) returns at third base.
Denfip was expecting to have depth in the pitching circle this year but junior Emma West (1-7, 51 Ks, 7.86 ERA) transferred to Lyon County, and junior Kara Hyde (2-4, 6.37 ERA) opted not to play this year.
That leaves freshman Avery Wade and Cortner in the circle this year. Wade gained valuable experience last year and became Trigg County’s most reliable picture down the stretch. She was 5-6 with 35 strikeouts and an 8.22 ERA.
Cortner also saw minimal time in the circle as an eighth-grader but that role expects to increase this year.
Eighth-grader Kiley Slone will split time behind the plate and in the outfield, along with eighth-grader Riley Taylor.
Trigg County has a promising group of middle schoolers that will see considerable time this year. Livia Breckel will likely be the starting first baseman as a seventh-grader. Fellow seventh-graders EmmaLee Futrell and Madilynn Smith should also see time along with freshman Chandler Wilson.
It will be a season of adjustments for this Lady Wildcat team. However, they’re playing with house money this year as they build for the next 2 to 3 seasons with what they hope is minimal roster turnover.
Trigg County opens the 2022 season at home Tuesday against University Heights Academy.
