Lady Mounties To Field Experienced Squad

Haylee Zimmerman of Rogers High pitched nearly every inning for the Lady Mounties last season but is expected to have more help this season.
Haylee Zimmerman of Rogers High pitched nearly every inning for the Lady Mounties last season but is expected to have more help this season.

— Haylee Zimmerman is getting some help this season, which is good news for the Rogers High softball team.

Zimmerman pitched nearly every inning for the Lady Mounties last season as a freshman, and that workload took its toll late in the season. Rogers was 19-13 overall while finishing the season with a loss in the quarterfinals at the Class 7A State Tournament.

Junior Ryan Vaughn has improved in the circle and combined with returning experience elsewhere in the lineup, Rogers is looking to make an even deeper run at the state tournament.

“We won’t have to rely on freshmen like we have the last two or three years,” Rogers coach Mike Harper said. “Haylee will be back in the circle, but Ryan has improved as well. We have a chance to be competitive in every game.”

Zimmerman was 15-10 last season with a 4.01 ERA and the sophomore has a chance to become the all-time career leader in pitching wins (30) with another successful season.

“Haylee won’t have to carry as much of the burden,” Harper said. “It was apparent that she fatigued at the end of the season. I’m not going to say we are going to alternate them, but it’s nice that she won’t have to carry as big a burden as she did last year.”

Zimmerman is also a threat at the plate after batting .310 with 22 RBIs and one home run a year ago. Vaughn batted .311 with 22 RBIs and two home runs last season and she will be at first base when she is not on the mound.

Junior Chandler Little will move from second base to shortstop. Little batted .429 with three home runs and 27 RBIs a year ago.

“Chandler will do great over there,” Harper said. “She is one of the top players in the conference.”

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