By Rex Cox
Rebuilding is a common word that most fans, players and coaches hate to hear. Unfortunately for the Eagles’ softball program that word is a common sound ringing in their ears.
They don’t let this tear them down, however, as they try to build and put the best nine girls out there that they can.
The coaching staff keeps the same mentality that they aren’t looking for a lights out batter or an outstanding arm. Instead, they just want a team that will function and operate as one.
“It takes all the girls on the team to make the team better, not just one individual,” head coach Caitlyn Grim said.
With a large freshman class and many returning starters, including a former starter’s return to the diamond, the ladies are hoping for more steady improvements.
Harper Timmerman, a starting third baseman, took a year off last year to focus on basketball but is back with the team this spring.
The program just three years ago had a one-win season but since then they have improved to eight victories last year.
One significant subtraction this year is the loss of starting pitcher/shortstop Kaitlynn Burns. She suffered tears in her ACL, MCL, meniscus, and IT band on Jan. 10. She will miss the entire season after having knee surgery recently.
The coaches are eager to see how she grows as a leader even though she can’t be out there playing with teammates.
“I am excited for the role that she gets to play this year in developing her mental side of the game and having a front row seat to help the underclassmen pitchers,” Grim said.
Ideas are in place for who might fill her spots, but a final decision has not yet been made.
Leadership will be needed as a large freshman class is incoming, many of whom will be on varsity their first year. Some have had varsity innings and some haven’t had innings thus far.
The staff is hoping that these young girls will blossom into a functioning operation here in a couple years, possibly when the birth of the new conference, the Eastern Crossroads Conference (ECC), hits.
The ECC, which is set to take effect for the 2028 softball season, allows for a possible better opportunity to get the program heading in the right direction.
“This new conference gives us a clean slate and allows us to make a name for ourselves and let everyone know exactly who Delta Softball is,” Grim said.
The staff will remain mostly the same with assistant Jillian Evans continuing her first baseline position. The only change is the JV head coach position. Brad Davis will take over for now former JV head coach Erin Helfin as she sustained a torn meniscus in October 2025 and is unable to be a head coach this year. She will still be on the staff but as a volunteer coach this year.
Establishing a winning culture has been a focal point for this staff above all with this young team.
Coaches believe they have and the wins will start to roll in eventually.
“I believe that the team has already developed a winning culture,” Grim said. “It may not show in the win column and being above .500 for wins, but these girls show up every single day with the attitude that they can accomplish anything.”
They have time to do so thankfully with a small senior class of only leftfielder Haley Loser and utility player Ava Montero.
Other than that the rest of the varsity roster is built of three juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen.
As of April 3, the starting juniors in lineup include Caidyn Freiburger at first base, Harper Timmerman at third, and Addie Smith in centerfield. The starting sophomores in the lineup are Jordyn Hughes at catcher, Everly Carter at second, Destinee Drown in rightfield, with Annalyn Ewry rotating in. Freshman starters are Chloe Childers at shortstop, Jacqueline Linn is the starting pitcher, and Chloe Mynett is the backup pitcher.
This all maximizes the ability to create a winning culture and get the win column above .500.
The coaches all know the importance of building from the bottom and getting the younger girls to stick with it. This helps to get better numbers and a better product.
“It starts down with the younger girls and showing our faces around them, and then understanding that the high school team is something that they should really look forward to,” Evans said.
They are currently 1-2, and there have been some highlights. Addie Smith hit two home runs in the season opener against Frankton. The Eagles beat Wes-Del 10-9 for their first victory on April 7.
Despite the tough losses improvement is being shown in the scores. While being outscored 30-0 last year by Alexandria and Frankton, they are only outscored 19-5 by those teams this year.
The belief has been set and the time is now. The future seems bright for these ladies.
