By Greg Chrapek
WKTV Contributor
While the season hasn’t gone entirely according to plan for the East Kentwood softball team, the Falcons have continued to battle and that persistence continues to pay off.
The Falcons, who have played around the .500 mark this season, have faced a rugged schedule and have had to deal with several key injuries. Despite the hurdles, East Kentwood has remained focused and competitive and picked up a big win to kick off the post-season by defeating O-K Red Conference rival Grandville 2-0 in the opening district game.
“We were very excited for the 2023 season with many returning players, although only three seniors,” said East Kentwood coach Owen Fletke. “We lost two of our senior starters (Landrie Fridsma and Taylor Barnes) the second week of the season. Two of our pitchers, Liz Davis and Jaycie Gasper, have been injured off and on all season. We’ve had a number of other injuries, like concussions and strains, that have really impacted our ability to have a consistent lineup with experienced players.
We’ve brought three freshmen up from our junior varsity team, two of whom (Riley Smith and Meredith Antonovich) are still on varsity. Overall, our record is now 16-19, not what we expected or anticipated, but we continue to fight and compete with the players we have.”
That competitive spirit was evident in the opening district game against a Grandville team that came into the post-season with a 23-12 record and defeated East Kentwood in two of the three league matchups this season.
East Kentwood was led this season by its trio of seniors. Aalana Kimble, who will be attending Saginaw Valley State University to continue her career as a student athlete, has been a leader of the Falcon offense and heads up the pitching staff.
“Aalana is the ace of our pitching staff and offensive leader on our team,” Fletke said. “She is a four-year varsity player and school record-holder in many categories.”
Fridsma is an offensive leader and second baseman who will be continuing her career at Kalamazoo College.
“Landrie partially tore a hamstring in week two and has just returned,” Fletke said. “She is a four-year starter and is our other offensive catalyst. She is our team captain and best power hitter.”
Like Fridsma, injuries have dashed the senior season for Barnes as well.
“Taylor tore her knee in the same game Landrie was injured in,” Fletke said. “Taylor was our starting leftfielder. Even though Taylor was not able to play, she was at every practice and game, cheering and coaching from the dugout. She provided us with incredible leadership.”
The junior class has stepped up and provided strong play throughout the season with several juniors playing key roles.
“We’ve received solid play from our juniors,” Fletke said. “Catcher Emily Visser, first baseman Kaleigh Higgs and third baseman Ashley Matejovitz have stepped up. Sophomore shortstop Kayla Finlaw has done a fine job there and freshman Natalie McCune has been a great surprise in the outfield and infield wherever she’s been needed.”
The Falcons have also received strong play from even more of their young players.
“When healthy, junior pitcher Liz Davis has done a great job as has freshman pitcher Jaycie Gasper,” Fletke said. “We’ve also received great help from freshman Riley Smith, sophomore Josie Manning and junior Allie Cahill.”
Davis is another Falcon who will play college softball in the future as the junior pitcher has verbally committed to the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Along with solid play on the field, the Falcon softball players get the job done in the classroom. The team grade point average is 3.5.
