SHS sports preview: Fastpitch

2015 record in league, overall: 9-3, second in Olympic League; 15-9 overall; fourth at districts; 0-2 at state 2A tournament

Head coach: Mike McFarlen (fifth year)

Returning players: Nicole Anders (jr.), Jordan Bentz (jr.), McKenzie Bentz (sr.), Emily Copeland (sr.), Kaylee Gumm (jr.), Adrienne Haggerty (sr.), Shelby Jones (so.), Allysen Montelius (sr.), Kyla Rigg (sr.), Chloie Sparks (jr.), Erin Vig (jr.)

Newcomers: Isabelle Dennis (fr.), Hailey Kapetan (jr.), Bobbi Sparks (fr.), Cailey Stipe (sr.)

Top league competition: Port Angeles, Kingston, Olympic

Despite several new faces filling the left side of the infield and corner outfield spots, the Lady Wolves fastpitch squad seems poised to slug their way back to state.

“We have a lot of talent back from last year,” head coach Mike McFarlen said. “(Newcomers) will fill in just fine.”

Sequim finished last year’s regular season with a 9-3 mark to tie for second place in league and took the West Central District’s fourth seed to the class 2A state tournament, going 2-2 at districts.

The Wolves ran into a pair of strong foes at the state 2A tourney, falling 10-0 to eventual third-place finisher Othello and 6-5 to Orting.

While McFarlen says spontaneous events can change the course of a season, he does feel Sequim can return to state. “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t,” he said.

Sequim lost four seniors last year — third baseman Olivia Kirsch (all-Olympic League first team) and shortstop Mary Lu Clift (second team), plus outfield starters Tia Bourm (second team) and Halie Wilson. Shifting to third is Chloie Sparks, Jordan Bentz to shortstop from second, and freshman Bobbi Sparks going into second.

McFarlen said the outfield consists of Adrienne Haggerty in left field, all-leaguer Allysen Montelius remaining in center field, and Nicole Anders in right field.

“The outfield is really good,” he said. “I think they could be the best outfield in the league.”

Upperclassmen like Montelius and all-league pitcher McKenzie Bentz and first baseman Kaylee Gumm look to lead the team with power pitching and hitting, too.

Bentz, a pitcher and catcher now in her senior season, started 13 games and struck out a team-high 49 batters in 69-and-two-thirds innings. She also hit .347 with 23 RBIs.

Bentz has been developing three new pitches for her repertoire in open gym sessions, she says, including a screwball, rise and curve.

“It makes it more fun having more pitches and knowing my team needs me to do this,” she said.

As for hitting, Gumm led the team as a sophomore with a .552 batting average, 1.086 slugging average, six home runs and 33 RBIs.

“She’s only gotten better,” Bentz said about Gumm. “She’s got a lot more to come. I’m excited to see her this season and next year as a senior.”

Gumm and Anders have played together on a travel team in the offseason as have several players on the TNT fastpitch squad, which McFarlen said helps players a lot.

“Their timing on their hitting is better and their defense is better because they’ve been practicing all winter,” he said.

Bentz said the girls have been practicing extra to start this season on their own accord and that they all get along well.

Team bonding events have been scheduled already but they’ve been doing things as a team prior to the season, too, she said.

Another big positive for the fastpitch squad is the growing interest in the sport.

McFarlen said 10 freshmen tried out this year and two, Isabelle Dennis, pitcher, and Bobbie Sparks, second base, made varsity.

“I think the future looks pretty bright,” he said.

This week, the Lady Wolves open their season at Peninsula High School on March 16 and don’t host their first game until March 26 against White River.