By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– The West Salem Softball team had a nice little balance between youth with a slew of sophomores on their Varsity roster and seniors on their 6A State Playoff team last Spring.
And though they graduated four seniors from their 22-7 squad, they do return a solid core from that squad entering this year.
Mya Ward and Braeli Martin are the lone seniors on the roster this year, so the Titans will return even more going into next year, and the two seniors are already helping set up West Salem for not just this year but next year as well.
It was something that Titans Head Coach Ty Nicholson hopes of Ward and Martin to fill those leadership shoes left by last year’s seniors, and has already seen it already from the duo as they’re a week away from their first games of the season. The longtime West Salem Head Coach pointed towards their more vocal leadership has came out, but they too lead by example to back up their talk.
“I’m hoping they step up and be leaders too,” Nicholson starts of Ward and Martin. “I even had a talk with the juniors because of those five returners. We got some girls who never played high-level softball that are filling in spots, and they need that leadership, and so far, it’s been great. Mya is directing traffic, we have a third baseman (Addison Lowery) that’s a freshman, and we’ll see. Hopefully, it’s not overwhelming. Mya has been working with her, helping her with the game.
“Braeli has really grown into being a leader, and it’s kind of nice to see that. I’ve known both those kids (Ward and Martin) since they were like nine years old, ten years old, something like that. And to see where they were when they were young and where they are today is huge. But Braeli will be huge. She’s a vocal leader. Mya has come out of her shell the last three, four years, and she’s become more of a vocal leader, but they both kind of lead by example.”
The outfield will be their biggest question mark going into the Spring with Ava Pilgrim and Julianne Rommel graduating, leaving two-thirds of their outfield open for competition. Injuries have slowed West Salem down as well as Courntey Gills is recovering from a foot surgery, but will be back in the late-March to mid-April window. Right around when Central Valley Conference play begins. But Nicholson has spoken highly of Viviana Nunez, a junior catcher, who will be filling in until Gills returns.
“She’s been doing a great job,” Nicholson said of Nunez.
West Salem will have some pitching depth as well. Nicholson mentions Lucy DuVal, a junior, picking up some velocity with her pitches and will be a solid number two for the Titans this Spring.
“She’s pitching with a lot of velocity. She’s a junior. When Braeli’s pitching, she’ll probably be the first baseman. And when Braeli’s not pitching, she’ll go to the outfield, and Olivia Nunez will go to first. Lucy has improved a ton. So it’s very fun to watch,” Nicholson said of DuVal.
West Salem opens the season with a Jamboree on March 17 up at Lake Oswego before heading to Sheldon on March 18 for their first game of the season. The Titans’ first ten games of the season will be on the road before they host West Linn on April 9 for their home opener at West Salem High School.
