Yuma High School’s softball team jumps right into it this weekend.
The Indians open the 2021 season Friday and Saturday at the Platte Valley Tournament in Kersey, playing two games each day.
“That’s always a good tournament,” coach Morgan Spencer said earlier this week.
Last year, softball was one of just three YHS sports approved for the fall season — boys golf and cross country being the others.
Like those other two sports, softball benefitted from the reduced athletic offerings as enough girls came out that the program also had a full JV schedule.
The numbers have fallen back into traditional lines with 13 out for softball in 2021. Still, the excitement remains.
“It’s been a good attitude,” Spencer said. “It’s been fun to watch them support each other. The experienced players are stepping up and letting the new ones know what we do in practice, which has been a help.”
The Indians will have a full 23-game schedule in 2021, with the recent addition of a home-and-home series with Chase County, Nebraska, rounding out the slate.
Tiemy Montes and Jasmine Sotelo return to anchor the pitching staff, along with the addition of freshman Hannah Newton.
“We’ll be pretty solid with those three if we can stay consistent,” Spencer said.
The coach said the team has been focusing on pitching in each practice, as well as batting technique.
“Like I told the girls this morning, ‘You can’t win games if you don’t score runs,’” she said.
Sam Wells, Montes, Sotelo and Newton will cover the defense at short stop and third base, with Adahli Diaz leading the way at second, and Mackenzie Weathers returning at first base. Jordan Glanz leads the way at catcher, though Spencer said there are others who could see time behind the plate.
The outfield includes Shannon Galloway, Erin Allen, Alysha Yanez, Ajanay Aragon Emily Guerrero, and Belicia Rascon.
The Indians opened the season Friday at 11 a.m. against Holyoke. They played well in a 7-3 loss.
They then play Alamosa at 5 p.m. They return to the diamond Saturday with an 11 a.m. game against Greeley Central, then wrap up the weekend against Platte Valley at 3 p.m.
