New London softball team brings back core

NEW LONDON - The New London softball team will bring back one of the most prolific offenses in the Union Coverage area next season, but the spotlight will be on whoever is in the circle.

The Tigers are coming off a 10-14 season. They went 4-6 in conference play and were the only Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division team to beat top-dawg West Burlington. The Tigers also picked up a win against Southeast Conference champion Fairfield, and won two games in the postseason.

The Tigers' only loss is starting pitcher Chloe Heitmeier. Heitmeier went 9-13 with a 3.56 ERA last season, and caught fire in the postseason, giving up just four total runs in the Tigers' three games.

The job of starting pitcher is up in the air. The Tigers may turn to junior Haley Rohdy, freshman Elly Manning, freshman Keaurra Williams or eighth-grader Sophie Mallott.

'As you know, in softball, that is huge,” head coach Mark Chiri says. 'We need to replace our pitcher.”

New London brings back six players with a .250 ERA or better, led by senior Layney Loyd (.577), junior Sofie Reighard (.400), senior Kara Krieger (.387), senior Alexa Wenger (.333), junior Marah Hartrick (.299) and sophomore Ashlyn McSorley (.260).

Loyd had a monster year in 2019. Loyd finished the year with 45 hits, including 10 doubles, one triple and two home runs. She was also second on the squad with 14 RBIs and led the team with 17 stolen bases.

Krieger had 29 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, two home runs and a team-leading 28 RBIs. Reighard finished 2019 with 28 hits, one double and 10 RBIs.

New London took fourth in the South Division, tied with Danville and one game ahead of Central Lee. The Tigers finished one game back of both Van Buren and Cardinal, and five games back of West Burlington, who won the South by four games.

'West Burlington will be the favorite,” Chiri says. 'In order to contend for the title, we must find consistency at the pitching position.”

New London will start the season with a game at Pekin on Monday, June 15. That game will begin at 5:30 p.m.

New London softball schedule

June 15 vs. Pekin

June 16 vs. Cardinal

June 17 vs. Winfield-Mt. Union

June 18 at Central Lee

June 19 vs. Wapello

June 22 vs. Danville

June 23 at Holy Trinity

June 24 vs. Mt. Pleasant

June 26 vs. Washington

June 30 @ Van Buren

July 1 vs. Highland

July 2 vs. West Burlington

July 3 vs. Sigourney