Front: Hailey Schlegel, Lexi Engstrom, Keegan Selinsky, Vanessa Kieffer, Brooke Albaugh, Jenna Ohler, Megan Engstrom Middle: Melissa Kieffer, Abbey Dillon, Whitney Sowers, Megan Stotzer, Amber Hooks, Maddie Maurer Back: Sydney Clements, Sage Peters, Ali Shane, Jordan Aukamp, Bailey Keane, Hailey Johnson Coaches: Joe Shane, Allison Sommers, Lacey Piconke, Tony Piconke

Season Recap

The 2018 softball season was a rewarding one as the girls recorded one of the best seasons in recent memory and brought excitement back to the softball program.

The program had struggled in recent years as the Trojans had recorded seven consecutive losing seasons and had picked up just 12 victories in the last four seasons combined.  Nevertheless, there was a sense of excitement around the team entering the 2018 season as an influx of talent entered the program. Junior Sage Peters, sophomore Abbey Dillon and a talented group of freshman joined returning lettermen Maddie Maurer, Megan Stotzer, Melissa Kieffer and Whitney Sowers to form a team that would change the reputation of the Tusky Valley softball program.  “One of the reasons I played was because I wanted to be part of the team that turned the softball program around,” stated sophomore Abbey Dillon.

The Trojans picked up one the season's signature wins on April 26th at East Canton.

However, the turnaround wouldn’t be easy as Mother Nature would not cooperate early in the season.  The continual rain and even snow made it impossible to practice outside and several early season games would be postponed. “The weather was tough this year,” said Trojan head coach Lacey Piconke.  “It affected us greatly. We were in the gym a lot in the beginning. With such a young team we had a lot to try and figure out without being on the field.”

Once the weather became nice the team had trouble finding time to practice because they had a game nearly every night with all of the rescheduled games.  “The season was difficult,” said sophomore Amber Hooks. “The rescheduled games eliminated almost all of our practice days, so it was very difficult to work on the things we needed to improve.”

The lack of outdoor practice time was particularly difficult for the Trojans as the team often had 6 or 7 first year players in the lineup.   The Trojans inexperience showed early as they were just 2-5 after seven games with wins over Conotton Valley and Canton McKinley.

However, the Trojans would turn around their season and the perhaps the fortunes of the softball program when they hosted the state-ranked Strasburg Tigers on April 18th.  The Trojans fell behind 2-0 early in the game but stayed within striking distance of the Tigers. In the bottom of the fourth inning the Trojans would tie the game as Sage Peters singled with two outs and Maddie Maurer homered to left to tie the game at 2-2.  The game remained tied into the bottom of the 7th inning when the Trojans loaded the bases with two outs. Abbey Dillon would then give the softball program its biggest win in years as she hit a drive over the Tigers’ left fielder to drive home Ali Shane with the game winning run and the Trojans had upset the Tigers 3-2.

Maddie Maurer's 2-run home run tied the game vs. Strasburg and set the stage for the 7th inning victory.

The Trojans followed their win over Strasburg with a victory over Malvern and stood at 4-5 on the season when they traveled to league leading East Canton on April 26th.  The Hornets entered the game undefeated in the IVC, including an 11-8 win over Tusky Valley earlier in the season. However, the Trojans would score six runs in the second inning to take control of the game on their way to a 9-5 victory as they handed the Hornets their first IVC loss.

The Trojans record improved to 7-5 following an 11-4 win over Fairless on April 28th.  However, a tough schedule with virtually no days off took its toll on the Trojans towards the end of the season.  The Trojans would drop six of their final nine contests, all against winning teams, to end the season with a final record of 10-11.  Along the way, the girls picked up their first tournament victory since 2009 when they defeated East Liverpool on May 5th. “I think having to make up so many games in the last two weeks of the season hurt the team,” said senior Maddie Maurer. “We had games just about every single day, and after one game we couldn't go to practice the next day and work what we needed to.”

While the Trojans fell one game short of the program’s first winning season since 2010, they established Tusky Valley softball as a team to be reckoned with in the coming year. “We have improved so much,” said junior Megan Stotzer. “We are showing some good signs for next season. I could not be more proud of my team this year.”

The Trojans will return nine of their top 10 hitters and three of their top four pitchers next season.  “We have had huge growth this year and I am excited and look forward to the growth to continue for this team,” said Coach Piconke.  “We won some close games and won against good teams. We saw drive and fight from our girls that the program hasn't seen in a long time.”

Season Recap

How would you summarize the 2018 season?

Megan Stotzer - We have improved so much. we are showing some good signs for next season. I could not be more proud of my team this year.

Abbey Dillon - We were a young team that wanted to change the reputation that the Tusky Valley softball team can not win a game. We were successful in this by more than doubling last years win. We had some ups and downs and a lot to learn. We improved throughout the year and continued to get better. We fell short in our tournament game but all in all it was an accomplishing season.

Amber Hooks - Very fun and memorable, it was a great experience being able to play on a team that no one expected to do as well as we did.

Maddie Maurer - This season wasn't how we thought it could've been, but still it was an improvement from past couple years. We didn't start off as strong as we hoped but eventually we figured out what we needed to do and starting do it and we were able to have some solid wins. I wish we could've had a 500 season though.

Sage Peters - A growing and improving season.

The softball team has struggled in recent years but experienced a turnaround this season. What was it like to be a part of helping the program improve?

Megan Stotzer - It was a great feeling. it was nice to make such a big change to a struggling program.

Abbey Dillon - One of the reasons I played was because I wanted to be part of the team that turned the softball program around. It was an accomplishing feeling, knowing I was one of the contributing factors that allowed us to succeed.

Amber Hooks - I am proud and honored to be a part of the team that produced the "turnaround" season. It was a very cool experience.

Maddie Maurer - It was really cool being a part of this season. I think that other teams weren't expecting us to do as well as we did this year based on years past. But we proved that we are a good team by having some unexpected wins this season, and I am glad that I was able to be apart of the turnaround to TV softball.

Sage Peters - It made it feel like each one of us made a difference.

What was your most memorable moment from the 2018 season (on or off the field)?

Megan Stotzer - My most memorable moment this season was beating Strasburg.

Abbey Dillon - My most memorable moment was when I hit the game winning run to beat Strasburg.

Amber Hooks - Beating Strasburg.

Maddie Maurer - All of the bus rides to and from games. On the bus we would sing and it was just a good time.

Sage Peters - Beating Strasburg and East Canton.

What was your favorite game of the season and why?

Megan Stotzer - My favorite game this season was the East Canton game where we won 9-5. I went 3-4 that game and with 2 singles and a double.

Abbey Dillon - My favorite game of the season was when we played Strasburg at home. It was a great feeling to play a great game and to beat Strasburg. It was a great memory to share with my team.

Amber Hooks - The first Strasburg game because no one in the park expected us to pull out a win, we were the underdogs and we pulled it off and showed everyone what we were capable of.

Maddie Maurer - Our win against Strasburg. It was my favorite because we won and because I think that was one of our best games we played as a team and fought the entire game and came back to win it in the bottom of the seventh.

Sage Peters - East Canton. It was a team we lost to before, it was a big win, and that is the game I personally truly felt that I belonged on the softball field again.

If you could only use one word to describe the season, what would it be and why?

Megan Stotzer - Fun because we have achieved so much and I have had fun making new friendships this season.

Abbey Dillon - Memorable.

Amber Hooks - Memorable

Maddie Maurer - Unpredictable. In the middle of the season we didn't know with the weather how many games we were going to be able to play. But also we were a good team this year, and we were able to have some unexpected wins.

Sage Peters - Memorable. It taught be a lot of lessons, we are starting to improve, and once again softball provided me with great friends.

How did you feel about playing in the IVC North?

Megan Stotzer - It was nice because the drives were so short and it has some great competition for us.

Abbey Dillon - I like playing in the IVC North because I think there is a good balance of good teams and teams that are not so good so we get to play a wide variety of teams.

Amber Hooks - I felt that we had good competition.

Maddie Maurer - I feel that we had some good competition and it was nice being able to play some different teams this year.

Sage Peters - It was just another league.

How did all of the rain/snow and postponements affect the season?

Megan Stotzer - It made the season seem longer and it made some weeks seem like we never got a break.

Abbey Dillon - It affected our team as well as our seeding because we did not have many games in and most of the games that got rained out was all the easier teams so we played good competition at the beginning of the year when it would have been better for us if we got to play the easier teams.

Amber Hooks - The season was difficult. The rescheduled games eliminated almost all of our practice days, so it was very difficult to work on the things we needed to improve.

Maddie Maurer - I think having to make up so many games in the last two weeks of the season hurt the team, because we had games just about every single day, and after one game we couldn't go to practice the next day and work what we needed to.

Sage Peters - We played less games in the beginning and a lot in the end.

Season Results

2018 Softball Awards

Maddie Maurer First Team IVC North First Team District 5 T-R Best of Preps Top Offensive Player	Sage Peters Second Team IVC North First Team District 5 Player of the Year	Abbey Dillon Honorable Mention IVC North Second Team District 5
Amber Hooks Second Team District 5	Keegan Selinsky Top Defensive Player	Sydney Clements Trojan Award