Western Texas College will open the softball season with doubleheaders against Temple College Saturday and McLennan Community College Sunday at United Field.
The first game will start at 1 p.m. each day.
WTC returns seven sophomores, including Alyssa Adames, Kawena Cabrera, Jaden Shoults and Rachel Gawdun. The team also features Snyder High School products Priscilla Guzman and Naudia Gonzalez.
Sophomore Tobi Bonifacio missed last season due to ACL surgery. The roster will include 10 incoming freshmen.
“We have five West Texas players among the freshmen class, mixed with good out-of-state players,” WTC head coach Rome McNary said. “We played tough competition during the fall. We had good pitching and defense. We probably faced tougher pitching than we will see during the spring.”
Cabrera had a .398 batting average with five home runs, 18 doubles and 65 RBIs last season. Adams had a .310 batting average and 30 RBIs while Shoults had 20 RBIs with a .320 batting average.
Guzman hit 13 doubles with three home runs, 24 RBIs, 35 stolen bases and a .329 batting average. Gonzalez had a .385 batting average with 16 RBIs.
Gawdun is the only pitcher returning with experience. She was 1-2 and pitched 28 innings.
McNary said freshmen Bailey McAlpine and Aryn Flores will compete for starting spots in the pitching rotation, along with Ira’s Jordan Ruiz and Seminole’s Melanie Sendejo.
“Bailey, Aryn and Rachel pitched most of the innings during the fall,” McNary said. “Jordan and Melanie pitched some. All of the pitchers did good jobs.”
WTC will play non-conference games against Ranger College, McCook Community College, Western Nebraska Community College, Cisco College, Dodge City Community College, Colby Community College, Otero Junior College and Tyler Junior College.
“The schedule is tough for a reason,” McNary said. “I like to play a competitive schedule because it will prepare us for conference play. We open up with two tough opponents. Temple always has a strong program, McLennan is No. 5 in the preseason national poll and Tyler JC finished third at last year’s national tournament. We will not have any easy games.”
The Western Junior College Athletic Conference will also be a challenge. Howard College is No. 17 in the national preseason poll. McNary said Midland College and Odessa College could contend for the conference title.
“Every team will give us a tough game,” McNary said. “We must play mistake-free. The other four teams (Clarendon College, El Paso Community College, Luna Community College and Frank Phillips College) will be competitive. We must go out and compete every game. We will have to bring our ‘A’ game every time.”