Fort hoping for tourney run

Trailing 7-1 with the sectional title on the line, Fort Recovery came roaring back.
The Indians scored seven runs in the final three innings of their 2010 sectional championship game against Coldwater, rallying to take the title on Josie Guggenbiller’s one-out single in the bottom of the seventh. It was the type of thrilling victory that only the tournament can bring, and the Tribe is hoping for much more post-season success this year.
Fort Recovery lost just two seniors — Carly Staugler and Guggenbiller — from last season, giving them plenty of experience with which to build off of the sectional crown.
“I have very high expectations,” said FRHS coach Marie Osterholt. “I’m really excited about the season. We’ve got a lot of talent coming back.
“You don’t have to start from scratch. You can start kind of where we left off last year. I know what they all can do, and I know where we need to improve.”
The Indians return five seniors to lead the quest, including starting pitcher Andi Sutter.
As the exclusive varsity hurler last season, Sutter struck out 142 batters in 173 innings with a 2.22 ERA. More importantly she refused to allow free passes, giving up just 26 walks all season.
“You get that ball in play and let the defense work,” said Osterholt. “That’s a big part of the game.
“She really came around last year and did a really nice job for us. I expect her to be as strong as ever.
“She works so hard. … She never gives up, keeps trying new things. When you have a kid like that, you know she’s going to really achieve.
“Softball is her sport. She loves to play it and it shows. She puts in all the extra time.”
Sutter will toss to junior catcher Taylor Guggenbiller, who will step in for Josie Guggenbiller behind the plate. Fort Recovery returns three-quarters of its infield, with seniors Kendra Brunswick at third base, Olivia Thien at shortstop and Shelby Brunswick at first base. Karissa Will, a junior, will take over Staugler’s second-base spot.
Sophomore Janelle Schwieterman, who made the jump to varsity last season and quickly solidified the outfield the defense, will anchor the group in center field again. Her junior sister Olivia, who ran track the last two years, will be in left field, and senior Stacy Gehle returns to play in right field.
Kendra Brunswick, one of only two Tribe players to hit better than .300 last season, is the returning leader with 29 hits and a .337 batting average. She shared the team high in runs with Thien at 18, and also had 14 RBIs.
“She has patience,” said Osterholt. “She doesn’t just go swinging at the first pitch. She makes sure she gets a pitch that she wants to hit.”
Thien hit .295 last season with six doubles and four triples, and drove in a team-high 15 runs. Shelby Brunswick added 10 walks and eight stolen bases, both best on the squad.
Osterholt emphasized controlled aggression — waiting for the right pitch, but taking advantage of those opportunities — as being key for her team to lift its overall numbers at the plate.
“We need to become more aggressive and learn our strike zone; not swing at pitches out of the zone,” she said. “We’ve got to work the pitcher a little more.”
Coming off of a 13-15 season, the Indians hope that an improved offense to go along with Sutter’s arm will lift them to a plus-.500 record for the first time since winning back-to-back Midwest Athletic Conference titles in 2004 and ’05.
They will get a strong test early by playing their first six games, and 13 of their first 17, on the road. In its first six games away from, the Indians posted a 2-4 record, but Osterholt said she’s expecting big things from the team as the season goes along.
“I’m hoping we go far,” she said. “I think we’ve got a real shot at being at the top of the MAC. And in the tournament, if our hitting comes around, I think we could do great things.”[[In-content Ad]]