Baseball
Key Returners- Brandon Kussmaul, Deon Hammond, Randy Neisz, Corey King
Key Losses- Justin Erby, Taylor Erby, C.J Lindsay, Riley Koonce, Patrick Monteverde
For the Marlins to improve on their 21-20 record from the 2017 season they are going to need to be led by their small group of seniors as well as they well as they are going to need their lower classman to step up. The Marlins finished last season with a solid .297 team Batting average to go along with 273 runs scored and 20 home runs. Where the Marlins need to improve is the teams 4.22 Earned Run Average (E.R.A). The teams E.R.A slightly rose to 4.28 in conference play last season.If the Marlins can get the veteran leadership from the seniors and solid play from their lower classman than they are a safe pick to finish in the top five of the ODAC conference.
Softball
Key Returners- Cassetty Howerin, Kiersten Richardson, Hanna Hull, Madison Glaubke
Key Losses- Liz Bailey, Blake Henderson, Courtney Wright
The Marlins are going to be public enemy number one this year. Going into the 2018 season the Marlins are going to see the best that every team has to offer. If the Marlins can continue to play their game the way they can as well as continue to #outlove then they should have another deep postseason run. The Marlins are coming off of their first National Championship in school history. We can expect the Marlin’s to continue their dominance this season with the girls that they are returning. With the two best players in the country, Howerin and Hull, the Marlins are looking forward to the season. ” We are looking good in practice , we just need to continue working and continue to out love. With those two things, everything else will fall into place” Senior Howerin said. Also to go along with those two, Senior Kiersten Richardson along with Howerin and Hull were named to the top 50 player watch list for the country.
Men’s Golf
Key Returners- Kevin Duffy, Peter Scrimgeour, Keith Cooper, Carter Morgan, Stone Skeeter
Key Losses- Caleb Martin, Rob Williard, Evan Hockensmith
The Marlins look to continue playing good golf this spring. Seniors Kevin Duffy and Peter Scrimgeour combine to give the Marlins excellent leadership both on and off the golf course.
Duffy, the Georgia native has been around golf and leadership positions since he joined the team in 2014. The leadership duo of him and Scrimgeour, have the Marlins expecting big things.
A big spring from sophomores Jacob Laughlin and Carter Morgan also seem to be on the horizon. With those two competing very well in the Fall, they look to keep that trend going.
Women’s Golf
Key returners- Hannah Turner, Maggie Kingora
Key Losses- None
The Marlins are capable of placing at the top of any match. Both golfers have plenty of collegiate play under their belt so expect them to come out the gates hot this spring.
With the women’s team only having two golfers, it is expected that they will continue to give the team quality match after quality match. Hopefully after this season, gaining enough exposure for the team to begin bringing in more women golfers.
Austin Edmonds
acedmonds@vwu.edu
