By: Abby Altman

Strength up the middle is one thing most softball teams have learned to prioritize. A strong shortstop, center field, and pitching staff are essential to the success of a team.

For Highland Park’s softball team, this season could very well come down to how well they perform up the middle.

The pitching staff for the 2023 season is identical to that of last season, with junior Ella Johnson and sophomore Morgan Johnson (no relation) as the starters, and junior Lydia Breuber as the team’s relief pitcher.

The 2022 pitching staff had a combined ERA of 7.67, giving up 79 total runs over the season.

Through 5 games this season, Highland Park has already allowed 46 runs, with 11 games still remaining.

Age is another big change on the 2023 team this season. Of the 11 members of the Varsity lineup, there are only 5 upperclassmen, and the majority of the team is either freshmen or 8th graders.

Freshmen twins Analiese and Scarlett Schneider are key players in strength up the middle. With Scarlett at shortstop and Analiese in center field, the twins are looking to secure their places in the field for the rest of their high school career.

Joining Analiese in the outfield is senior Abby Altman in right field, as well as a combination of senior Bella Jack and 8th grader Willow Sadowski in left field. Speed and awareness are essential in the outfield, and Highland’s combination should meet, and hopefully exceed fielding expectations.

On the corners in the infield are sophomore Hannah Gliedman at third base, and a wide variety of players at first base, including Lydia Bruber, Morgan Johnson, and junior Kate Ruebish, when she’s not behind the plate.

Overall, for defense, the team has more than enough weapons to succeed.

On the offensive side of the field, Highland has been even slower at getting things moving.

Through the first 7 games this season, Highland is 3-4, with blowouts from Richfield, Two Rivers, and South Saint Paul, and a close 5-6 loss against Saint Paul Academy.

Highland also handed losses to Humboldt, Johnson, and St. Paul Central.

In their first 3 games, Highland scored only 2 runs, both in the first game of the season against Richfield.

Since then, Highland has had a few blowouts of their own, scoring 19 runs against Humboldt and 26 runs against Johnson, but the majority of those runs were propelled by walks.

Highland Park is one of 7 teams in the St. Paul City conference. Over the past 2 seasons, Highland has taken 1st and 2nd place in the conference, losing to Central in 2022. This conference has struggled in the past, with nearly every team having a losing record each season.

Highland Park and St. Paul Central are once again likely to be the top 2 contenders for the 2023 conference title.

On Thursday, Highland defeated Central 5-3 in a tight showdown, led by exceptional pitching from Ella Johnson, and an abundant number of bunts laid down by Highland’s offense.

Over the next 6 days, Highland has 5 games, including the teams last 3 conference matchups.

By: Hannah Gliedman

One of the most important parts of softball is hitting. A good hitter is what makes a team gain points and win games. For a swing, speed is the most important thing. Being able to time a pitch to hit it in the strike zone, and generating enough speed to drive the ball, is what creates a good hitter.

Normally, when buying a bat whilst in high school, you don’t only have to think of what bat, but also what size and weight of bat. A general rule is that from ages 13-15, bat length should be about 31-32 inches.

Once players reach ages 16+ a bat like 33-34 inches is good. The USSSA prohibits bats over 34 inches.

A test to see if the bat is the right size is to hold the bat where the knob is in the center of your chest. If you can reach the end of the bat with your fingertips, it’s the correct size.

One thing to note is the diameter of the barrel. Most fast-pitch bats have a barrel of 2 3⁄4 inches. and standard bats are 2 1⁄2 inches. Having a bigger barrel creates a bigger sweet spot, meaning more pitches are likely to result in bigger hits; however, a bigger barrel creates a heavier bat. For players desiring a faster swing, a bigger barrel might not be right.

As for the weight of the bat, Worth Sports created a chart that shows the best weight of the bat for players:

The USSSA prohibits bats over 31.5 oz, this includes tape and grip additions.

Finding the proper weight is extremely important to creating power and hitting hard. Finding the sweet spot between a too heavy or too light bat is critical. If a bat is too heavy, the player won’t be able to generate speed and won’t be able to hit pitches in motion whilst in the strike zone.

On the opposite side, if a bat is too light, the player will open up too early in the pitch, which can cause players to top the ball.

A simple way to find the right weight for your bat is to extend your arm out and hold the bat straight out. Hold it there for 20 seconds, if you can’t, the bat is too heavy. However, if it’s too easy the bat might be too light.

If there is a choice between a too heavy and a too light bat, skew on the side of a lighter bat.

Last thing to note, is to make sure the bat is USSSA approved before you buy it.