MENDHAM – The Mendham High School softball team is eager to kick off a new schedule when it opens at home against rival West Morris Central on Wednesday, April 3.
The team comes off a 3-19 campaign, and while this group will have to overcome youth, head coach Jenna Bauberger knows there is enthusiasm around the season.
“I’m excited for this season to get underway,” she said. “We are young with only one senior on the squad this year but have our battery returning along with some enthusiastic sophomores and juniors. We are once again relying on our adaptability
as we work to fill positions with low numbers, but our returners are looking strong, and I think we’re going to surprise folks this season.”
Key returners for Mendham include sophomore pitcher Emily Schneider, junior catcher Elease Belenets and junior Lily Chandler at third base.
Along with West Morris, Bauberger’s group will face Mount Olive, Morristown, Chatham, Morris Hills, West Milford, Madison, Parsippany Hills, Parsippany, Kent Place, Mountain Lakes, Dover and Kittatinny.
“Our schedule this year poses the usual challenges, playing strong teams in our conference like West Morris Central and Mount Olive, but we know what to expect.”
For Mendham, early-season preparations have been filled with learning to adjust and come together as a unit.
“Our early-season prep is focused on teaching the positions as we’ve had to make some adjustments to fill key spots and creating a cohesive group that will work well together. We graduated our shortstop and first baseman, lost our center
fielder to a knee injury and our returning second baseman chose not to play this season,” Bauberger added. “Filling those spots with the right people is the main job right now and then we can start to move forward and try to win some games.”