By Erin Beck
Lincoln High School’s softball team started off with a 3-0 record last week, and those who want to cheer them on will be able to do so at the home field during several upcoming games.
As of press time, this week was scheduled to be jam-packed, with games on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, unless weather requires rescheduling, said Heather Haller, a team member’s mom as well as an active team volunteer.
High School.
Last week, they beat Buckhannon-Upshur 10-0 on March 20 and Elkins twice in a double-header, 20-0 and 13-0 on March 23. Haller said two girls hit home runs that evening, her daughter Delaney Haller, who is one of the Athletes of the Week, once in both games, and Cadence Lambert, catcher, in the first game. Both are seniors.
With a solid, close-knit 14-player team, including seven senior players, the team has set their sights on states this year, according to Haller, the “unofficial team mom.”
She noted that players grew up together, from the Mountain State Girls Softball League to Lincoln Middle School’s team and now high school. They did lose one year playing together to COVID-19.
She also said last year was a “little bit of a heartbreaker” after they lost at regionals.
Haller anticipates an exciting season, especially since the team is demonstrating batting talent.
“It’s really unusual in some places to have a core group of girls who have played together consistently both in recreational ball and school ball so that just makes a stronger team dynamic,” she said.
run March 23.
For those who want to come out and support their efforts this week, they’ll be playing Robert C. Byrd at home at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, and on Saturday, they’ll play Ripley at 1 p.m. and at 3 p.m. at home. After that, they’ll also play at home April 3 against Liberty and April 4 against Fairmont Senior. Both games are at 5:30 p.m.
Those will be supporters’ last chance to see them play at home before April 13, when they play Grafton at 5:30 p.m., she said.
Onlookers are encouraged to be loud; they also have “black-out” and “white-out” days when supporters are encouraged to wear those colors.
“We have a really good group of parents and girls,” Haller said. “It’s just fun.”
She said middle school girls, too, often come to the games to support the older girls and for guidance.
The team is led by Head Coach Yancey Weaver, Assistant Coach Dave Harbert and Assistant Coach Chris Drain.
