Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

First in a series of reports on high school softball …

LANDIS — This could be that special season that South Rowan softball has been waiting on for a while.

Unfortunately, the Raiders’ dugout has been an infirmary in the early going.

Right fielder Meghan Eagle, who got through basketball season healthy, broke a hand on the first day of softball practice.

Infielder Campbell Withers suffered a deep thigh bruise.

Center fielder Carmen Thomas has been waiting for stitches to be removed so she can be cleared to play.

Second baseman/pitcher Lexie Ritchie (hip flexor), third baseman Kynlee Dextraze (pulled quad) and pitcher Eva Shue (sore shoulder) have all been limited.

“We’ve had as many as four girls out at a time,” South head coach Dean Mullinax said. “I’ve never had a team as banged up as this one has been, but we’ve just got to fight through it. We do know that when we’ve got everyone healthy, we’re going to have a good team.”

That’s the truth. South still has a host of familiar names on the roster and lost only one player off a competitive squad.

South is still young. Juniors Thomas, Dextraze and Ritchie are the veterans, but there’s a strong sophomore class behind them. There are eight returning starters, so even in the South Piedmont Conference, a league that usually features four or five stout teams, the Raiders expect to make waves.

Once they’re healthy, that is.

“It’s not like we’ve got an Emma Clarke,” said Mullinax referring to the West Rowan shortstop who is a national figure in high school softball circles. “But we’ve got a lot of girls who can play.”

Dextraze is a slugger who belted five homers in 2023 and already has committed to play for Lenoir-Rhyne. Defensively, she can handle third base or shortstop.

“She’s got serious power,” Mullinax said. “She can hit it out of the park to any field. She’s already shown in the Central Cabarrus game (she swatted two homers) that she’s got more power than she had last year.”

Ritchie is an early Chowan commit. She batted .377 in 2023 with two homers, eight doubles and 21 RBIs. She’ll usually play second base, but she’s also been an important pitcher. She shared circle duties with Shue last season. They almost split the innings. Shue was harder to make solid contact against, but Ritchie had better control.

Thomas is the catalyst for the offense. A .321 hitter, she scored 30 runs in 2023.

“She gets on base and she can really track the ball in center field,” Mullinax said.

The sophomore returning starters, good athletes, all of whom play multiple sports, are Eagle, Shue, Withers, Danica Krieg and Avery Fisher.

Withers will usually be the shortstop. She batted .274 with 20 RBIs. Eagle batted .269 with 10 RBIs. Krieg, a first baseman/left fielder, hit .313 with 14 RBIs. Shue hit .279 with 14 RBIs. Fisher, the catcher, batted .329 with 20 RBIs.

“It’s a good lineup,” Mullinax said. “All of them have home-run power and they’ve got versatility and can play multiple positions.”

The key newcomer is expected to be freshman Leisha Carter.

With no jayvee team, the varsity roster also includes sophomores Emery Motley and Ashton Lamb and freshmen Sawyer Sherrill, Ruby Reta, Ava Daniel and Addy Martinez.

Martinez pitched a 5-3 loss to East Davidson, with Shue and Ritchie both ailing, and gave the Raiders a chance.

In the early going, South tied private school power Cannon School when the game was called because of darkness. South lost a 9-8 slugfest to Central Cabarrus and learned some lessons in a surprising loss to Northwest Cabarrus.

“Our girls went into that one thinking it was still the Northwest of last year, but they’re a different team now,” Mullinax said. “You can’t assume there are going to be easy games in the SPC.”

South’s first win came on Tuesday, as the Raiders pounded SPC newcomer Robinson, 13-2.

Once everyone is good go to, the Raiders should win their share.

South really struggled from 2019-2021, but is clearly headed in the right direction.

“That’s the plan,” Mullinax said. “Our talent level is different now than when I first started coaching this team. We’re in a very tough league. but we should be able to compete.”

 

South Rowan softball

Coach: Dean Mullinax, 8th season, enters 60-79

Top returners: Juniors Kynlee Dextraze, Lexie Ritchie and Carmen Thomas; sophomores Campbell Withers, Meghan Eagle, Avery Fisher, Danica Krieg, Eva Shue

Key loss: Bailey Yon

Key newcomer: Leisha Carter

2023 record: 13-10, 7-7 South Piedmont Conference (5th)

Playoffs: Lost 1st round to North Davidson

2024 record: 1-3-1