EPHS Spring Sports Preview: Softball

Editor’s note: EPLN Sports Editor Ryan Williamson asked each EPHS spring sports coach to give us a breakdown of their team and what’s to come. Here’s what this coach had to say.

Here are some notes from EP softball coach Dan Rubischko as the softball season begins:

• The Eagles finished second in both the Lake Conference and the Section 2AAAA tournament last season.
• Kari Welter, a junior pitcher, returns to the circle and is expected to handle the majority of the innings for EP this season.
• Behind the plate is fellow junior Grace Streed. She earned the team’s most improved player award last season.
• The rest of the Eagles’ position players are a senior-heavy group that includes twin sisters Piper and Anika Lange, Alexa Mann, Dani Fosdick, Annika Welter, Priya Wolf, Gabi Peta, and Ella Isaacson. Piper Lange batted .391 last season, while Mann was arguably the team’s best hitter with a .413 batting average.
• EP will face a tough Lake Conference and Section 2AAAA schedule once again this season, with rivals such as Hopkins and Chanhassen running out Division I-level talent.
• According to Rubischko, the keys for this team will be minimizing mistakes on defense, putting the ball in play on offense and relying on seniors to step up and lead this team.