District champions for the third straight season and fourth round finalists in the state playoffs are impressive credentials for the 2017 Bridge City softball program. The Lady Cardinals maybe had their finest season ever.
Coach Kayla Gallardo has the girls coming back at Bridge City to match those accomplishments this year. At the top of the list of returning Lady Cardinals is senior Kassidy Wilbur who will pitch and swing a big bat. Abby Anderson will again be Wilbur’s battery mate.
Kyndall Harrison is the Bridge City shortstop. Caitlain Denison returns to the hot corner at third. Second base is occupied by Jalynne Burch. Aleah McClanahan returns to left field. There are three holes to fill. Gallardo advised, “We’ve got a pretty good strong group all together coming back.”
A successful program fills holes caused by graduation, and Gallardo has some young ladies to do that for Bridge City. Several girls will step up from the junior varsity and play big roles for the Lady Cardinals. Chloe Halliburton will see time in the lineup. Moving up is Ashley Gerrald who is very quick. Two freshman pitchers Austyn Daniels and Courtney Ball will relieve Wilbur of some innings in the circle. “It’s a young group, but they’re very talented, and they have a lot of fight, so we’re excited for the future with them,” Gallardo added.
The Lady Cardinals return several of their best hitters according to Coach Gallardo. Wilbur was the leading homerun hitter for Bridge City last year with about a dozen long balls. Denison will fill the important three-hole in the lineup. Harrison is strong at the plate and Burch is a consistent hitter. McClanahan and Anderson are both really hitting the ball well in the early going. Aleah has good power while Abby provides a lot of speed.
Pitching should be solid for Bridge City as Gallardo has one of the top pitchers in the area and some good backups. Kassidy Wilbur is the obvious ace and will get most of the innings for the Lady Cardinals. Payton Trapp who was the backup last year is concentrating on track this season. Freshmen will be the bullpen this year. Daniels and Ball throw the ball very well and mix their speeds to keep hitters off balance. They should help Wilbur out when she needs a rest. Gallardo said, “We still have some pitching depth which is important, so we’ll be okay.”
The bar was set pretty high after last season for Bridge City. Coach Gallardo indicated she always wants to see her girls grow as players and get better every year as well as every game.
Gallardo gave her expectations for this year’s Lady Cardinals, and to be district champs again is first. The coach wants the team to take the season one game at a time, but the playoffs are also expected again with this group because they are so experienced and have played well together as a group. The ultimate expectation is for the Bridge City Lady Cardinals to make history and go to Austin for the first time. “Our expectations are always high,” Gallardo concluded.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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