The Cardington-Lincoln softball team is coming off a big season in which the Pirates went 26-3 and 14-0 in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference before losing to eventual champion Fairview in the regional final.
While the team has lost some key players from graduation, Coach Tod Brininger expects that Cardington-Lincoln will once again be in the running for a state title.
“We have multiple-year starters with a lot of experience in big games,” Brininger said. “Our offense was proficient last year, and we had a number of first-year starters. We return our starting pitcher, who as a freshman was a first team all-state selection. Our defense will be solid as well.”
Starting pitcher Genevieve Longsdorf is coming off a big freshman season in which she won 24 games and posted a 1.32 ERA with 192 strikeouts. She also hit .500 on the year and looks to build off a first-team All-State season.
Offensively, the seniors put up big numbers last year and look to provide some firepower and leadership. Outfielder Hailee Edgell posted a team-high .534 batting average and was second on the team with seven home runs and 40 RBIs while scoring 35 runs. Shortstop Riley Burchett had a .424 average and led the team with 10 homers and 46 RBIs and was also second on the Pirates with 38 runs scored. Outfielder Makayla Linkous had a .500 average and was a master on the base paths, leading the team with 16 steals. Outfielder Emalee Artz posted a .328 average, and Kayleigh Ufferman had a .283 average. Also returning to the team are senior outfielder Amanda Pearl and infielder Cameron Kinsey.
Sophomore outfielder Dana Bertke had a .482 average and led the team in runs with 40, while also stealing 13 bags. Varsity newcomers include Ari Simpson, Abbi Hardwick, Lily Clark and Morgan Powell.
“We are counting on our senior class to lead and the underclasses to step up,” Brininger said.
One of the team’s concerns, however, will be consistency, according to Brininger. Brininger said losing Chelsey Miller at catcher is a big loss on the defense end and will be tough to replace, as she was a three-year player at the position. The team also loses utility player Ashlee Tharp.
“Challenges will be filling the catcher spot,” Brininger said. “We will be moving multiple defensive players early in the year to see who grabs a number of spots.”
Brininger brings 11 years of high school coaching experience to the dugout and has also coached travel softball with the Outlaws, Stingrays and Buckeye Heat. He played four years of baseball in high school and an additional three years of college ball.
“My philosophy is based on competition,” Brininger said. “The players have built a legacy of winning. It has been passed down from the first team to every team after it. Every year, every position is open, regardless of your grade level. The only team that didn’t have an expected starter as a freshman was 2020, which would have competed for the state title before COVID. I model my strategy after my dad, who coached me as a youth, and also my high school football coaches. I have three older brothers, so it was always competitive in our house, and, being the youngest, I always had to compete even harder.”
This year, the team has three seniors who Brininger said have signed to play college softball and several underclassmen who should graduate to play in college. He said this shows the talent at hand, but they need to keep grinding.
While the school has a softball history, Brininger said that each team needs to create its own legacy. He hopes that the team will be undefeated in June and finish the season off with a win.
“KMAC championship, district championship, regional championship, state championship,” Brininger said. “Those are our goals and expectations.”
The Pirates will be playing softball in Akron in June, but before that they are heading to Florida over spring break to play and also to engage team bonding. He said the league and non-league games will prepare the team for the eventual state tournament.
Cardington-Lincoln has started the season 7-0, with a 3-0 KMAC start. The Lady Pirates hit the road this week, playing at Newcomerstown a 5 p.m. Thursday, and set for a doubleheader Saturday at Marion Harding starting at 11 a.m.
