Returning lettermen for the Lady Monarch softball squad are from left, front row, Isabelle Shroyer, Ashlee Fisbaugh, Hanna Moffett, Aggie Livingston and Leah Potter; back row, Emily Daniel, Airyanna Maurer, Chris Ortman and Olivia Hall.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Sunshine and warm weather are awaiting the baseball and softball squads from Marysville High School.
At least, that’s what their respective head coaches are hoping.
Both teams have packed their bags and have headed to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for their annual spring break trips.
The baseball squad left town on Friday and is scheduled to hold a practice session today.
The Monarchs will play all Ohio high school teams during the trip.
“We’ll play Westerville North on Sunday and Olentangy Orange on Monday,” said head coach Mark Brunswick.
The trip will conclude with a game against Ontario on Wednesday and a contest against Dublin Scioto on Thursday.
Tuesday will be devoted to practice and later, Family Night activities.
“We have a nice banquet for the players and their families on that day,” said Brunswick.
The MHS junior varsity baseball team will play two games in South Carolina against Fort Lee of Kentucky and Morgantown, West Virginia.
“This is usually a good week for us,” said Brunswick. “It helps us get out of the colder weather at home.
“We can also pick up the pace of things down south.”
The Monarch head coach feels he will have a “solid” team on his hands for the 2018 season.
However, he acknowledged the squad is inexperienced at a few positions, including catcher, some pitching spots and at third base.
The spring break trip will allow the team to iron out some of those spots before the Ohio Capital Conference portion of its schedule rolls around, Brunswick said.
The Monarchs will open the Ohio portion of their slate on March 30 at West Jefferson.
Lady Monarch softball co-head coach Jennifer Segner-Maxwell said she’s not sure who the team will play during the trip.
“We will play six games, but we won’t know who we will play until we get there,” she said.
The games will begin on Monday and stretch through Thursday.
Segner-Maxwell said she also wants to use the games to settle some position issues.
“We’re going to have some girls playing out of position from where they have been accustomed to doing,” she said. “That’s going to be out of necessity since we’ve lost some players to graduation.
“We hope to come back home with answers to who belongs at those positions.”
MHS’ first Ohio action is scheduled for April 3 at Dublin Jerome.