Henryetta High School’s fast-pitch squad is hard at work preparing for the 2020 season. The Lady Knights have already gotten in reps out on the field since they were given the green light to practice on July 15. Head coach Ryan Swallow has plenty of returning starters and talented freshman this year to make the Lady Knights a threat and make a hard run at the playoffs. The Lady Knights also have a host of freshman coming up the ranks to play.
Henryetta High School’s fast-pitch squad is hard at work preparing for the 2020 season. The Lady Knights have already gotten in reps out on the field since they were given the green light to practice on July 15. Head coach Ryan Swallow has plenty of returning starters and talented freshman this year to make the Lady Knights a threat and make a hard run at the playoffs. The Lady Knights also have a host of freshman coming up the ranks to play.
“The next couple of years, I mean, we are loaded. We should easily make a run if everyone stays healthy. With us, it’s just going to be offensively. I think defensively we will be one of the best teams around. Defensively we will be solid in the circle but we are going to have to manufacture runs and that’s going to be our Achilles.”
In the 2019 season, the Lady Knights had a tough lineup with teams like Beggs and Kiefer in their district. Though both Beggs and Kiefer are looking solid this year, Swallow is confident the Lady Knights’ have the skill and talent to take them and other teams on this season. Henryetta is currently in Class 3A, District 6 which includes Beggs, Spiro, Eufuala, Okmulgee, Kiefer and Morris.
The Lady Knights completed the 2019 fast-pitch season 24-8 overall record and would fall during the Class 3A Regional Tournament to Valliant, 5-2, and Dewey, 13-9.
However, with juniors such as Avery Miller, Katelyn Dwiggins and others gaining more experience on the mound, the Lady Knights are looking to vanquish the 2020 season. Miller is a standout on the mound, delivering hard strikeouts and tricky pitches to batters. The Lady Knights will be heavy handed on defense with Miller at the helm. Miller pitched 173 innings for the Lady Knights in 2019, playing in a total of 30 games and earning 21 wins for her team. From the circle, Miller threw an ERA of 1.740 as a sophomore with a WHIP of .942, a sure sign that whatever she accomplishes this year will be on the same level or better.
She’ll have tough competition with Beggs pitcher Kaci Phelps also returning to the pitcher’s mound this year. Phelps and Miller went head-to-head to determine the District 6 Champions in 2019. It was a 10-0 shutout win for the Lady Knights that determined the winner. Allowing just one run, Miller threw five strikeouts and had a strike percentage of .632, and she was responsible for two RBIs.
Kasedi Gobin will also be taking on the duties of pitcher this year. She played in four games and pitched 17 innings last year in the circle for an ERA of 5.353 and a 1.588 WHIP. Gobin also will be taking on the second baseman position.
According to Swallow, Henryetta freshman Shelby Kilhoffer might also take on some innings in the circle. A transfer from Dewar, Kilhoffer has the athleticism to lend a hand in various positions for the Lady Knights.
“We got six freshman that are coming up that all could help immediately,” Swallow said. “ … We have got a ton of freshman that could play for most teams that we play. So, we are excited about having a bunch of depth this year.”
Fielding will also be an easy one for the Lady Knights. Swallow turning to a host of freshman and possibly a returning former Lady Knight to fill the position left behind by Autumn Blackbear, who graduated in 2019. Freshman Winter Beaver and, if transfer waivers pan out, Brooklyn Baughman will take over at first base for the Lady Knights.
“She’s in the process of possibly being able to help us again this year,” Swallow said. “So, she’s getting looked at out there, plus three or four other freshman.”
Third base is also open with Kaylie Hamric graduating this past spring. That position will also be replaced by talented freshman that Swallow is hopeful will add depth to his bench.
Not only will the Lady Knights have a well rounded defense, they will have strong batters returning - Miller, Gobin and Jalynn Joslin. Miller led the Lady Knights in RBIs last season with 32, while Joslin and Gobin were right behind her with 21 and 20. Base hits is where the Lady Knights excelled, while the bigger hits were less common. Joslin led in doubles with 10, but her teammates struggled to break into the double digits. Triples and homers were even more uncommon. In total, the Lady Knights only had seven home runs and five triples.
The Lady Knights are scheduled to have their opening week against Okmulgee on Aug. 10 and Kiefer on Aug. 10.
Both teams are familiar to the Lady Knights, especially the Okmulgee Lady Bulldogs who were the first opponents Henryetta met in the 2019 season. According to Swallow, his team is just excited to get out on the field and play against another team after a unique summer pre-season.
“Just to finally get to go against someone else, you know, other than each other,” Swallow said. “Just the excitement of an opener, no matter who it is. Not taking them lightly and just with the scoreboard on, it’s just exciting.”
The Lady Knights delivered a tough 9-1 decision to the Lady Bulldogs with the help of Gobin. She not only pitched five innings with only one run, but garnered two RBIs for the Lady Knights. Henryetta is set to host the Lady Bulldogs Monday, Aug. 10 at 4:30 p.m.
