SOLON — The varsity Lady Spartans finished the 2023 season at 24-14 overall and 13-7 in the WaMaC East after falling to Wahlert Catholic in the Class 3A Region 7 Championship game. Seniors Hillary Wilson (All-State and WaMaC East Player of the Year who led Solon with 53 hits and 35 RBIs) and Claire LaDage (23 hits, 16 runs, 18 RBIs) have moved on.
This year Coach Brad Holub, in his third season at Solon, has seniors Kendall Jensen, Kayla Meseck, and Bailey Woolley back in the starting line-up. Jensen is a pitcher/designated hitter who earned All-Conference Honorable Mention with a 10-5 record in the circle through 110 innings last season. She had a 2.30 ERA with 84 strikeouts. At the plate Jensen hit with a .273 average producing 21 hits including four homeruns, four doubles, and driving in 20 runs.
Meseck is an outfielder with 24 runs scored last year and a .238 batting average with 19 hits including four doubles and nine RBIs.
Woolley is a third baseman and outfielder who proved to be a key reserve for the Lady Spartans last year as the No. 1 hitter off the bench. She had a dozen starts and knocked eight hits including one double and drove in seven runs with a .190 batting average.
Juniors Addie Miller and Izzy Frees are back with Miller splitting her time between first base, outfield, and behind the dish. She earned 2nd Team All-Conference and 2nd Team All-State honors with eight homeruns, ten doubles, and 33 RBIs and was the second-highest hitter with 49 and a .412 average. Frees is a utility player who earned 2nd Team All-Conference with a .378 batting average, 42 hits (third on the team) including four homers and ten doubles with 26 runs driven home.
Sophomore McKenna Rogers started 37 of 38 games last year with 19 hits including two doubles, a triple, 21 runs scored and a dozen more driven in. She hit with a .196 average with a .342 on base percentage.
Maddyn Gates joined the team last year as an eighth grader and earned 2nd Team All-Conference honors with a 6-1 conference (7-5 overall) showing in the circle through 46 innings with a 1.83 ERA, 38 strikeouts, and 19 walks. At bat she had one dinger, 11 doubles, and 20 RBIs with 29 hits.
Others back in the lineup include juniors Olivia Trachta (outfielder) and Zoey Grimm (utility) and freshmen Avery Babbitt (catcher with 11 starts last year), Layla Knazze (utility), Addi Walter (utility), and Keegan Kleppe (utility and primary runner off the bench with eight of nine stolen base attempts).
New to the squad are freshmen Emerson Miller (pitcher/infielder/hitter off the bench), Laeni Hinkle (pitcher/utility), and eighth grader Livya Nelson (utility).
“(We) lost two strong seniors last year and had some unexpected attrition from potential returners, but we will have a real quality, deep squad with several reserves that could start elsewhere,” said Holub. “Returning pitching will be a strength along with some JV pitchers hopefully taking that next step.” Defense, he said, has the potential to be a strength for Solon. “Hitting should be decent to start, hopefully improving throughout the season as spring sports wrap up and multi-sport athletes see participation and reps increase.”
As for the WaMaC, historically and arguably one of the toughest conferences in the state, the Coach sees no letup this year with that last two year’s State Champions (Mount Vernon and Williamsburg) and ’23 State Qualifier Benton Community. Grinnell is new to the WaMaC, Clear Creek Amana is expected to be tough along with Center Point-Urbana “with some nice pieces.”
The season opens Monday, May 20 with a doubleheader in Mount Vernon followed by a home opening doubleheader against Independence Wednesday, May 22.
Special events this season include Breast Cancer Awareness Night Wednesday, June 12 (doubleheader vs. Grinnell), Youth Recognition Night Monday, June 17 (doubleheader vs. Benton), Senior Night Monday, June 24 (doubleheader vs. West Delaware), and Alumni Recognition Night Monday, July 1 (JV plays at 5:00 p.m. with varsity to follow).
Holub will be assisted this season by Cory Keeney (3rd season), Monika Bevans (JV coach and Solon alumni), and Kaitlynn Harkey (Level 3 coach, first season).
“This team will be a gritty, hard-working, fun team to follow!” the coach said.
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