POTEAU LADY PIRATES
Coach: Ryan Dill
24-15
Strong, explosive and finally healthy. The combination of those three characteristics
best describes the barometer of talent for the Lady Pirates. After reaching the
regional finals with 24 wins last year, Poteau has put all the piece back together
creating an expectation for success in 2023.
“We return all but one player from last year’s lineup. And, we welcome back Annika
Dill who sat out last season due to an ACL injury,” explained head coach Ryan Dill.
“The experience and softball skills of our upperclassmen combined with some
talented freshmen give us the opportunity to have a good season.”
A Division-I commit to the University of Tulsa, Annika Dill (3B/P, Sr.) is a welcomed
return to the lineup. As a sophomore in 2022, she led all classes from 4A down with
13 home runs, 28 doubles among 64 hits to compile a .516 batting average. With a
strong arm and championship level softball IQ, Parker Patterson (C, Sr.) enters her
fourth year starting behind the plate giving Poteau coaches another powerful bat
where she delivered a .420 batting average. Morgan Hagen (1B/DP, Sr.) who
produced a .408 on-base percentage and Gracy Soehlman (2B/CF, Sr.) will add to the
senior leadership. A quintet of juniors will include Emery Lomon (2B/SS/CF) who
raced to 48 stolen bases with a .408 batting average joining Briley Bowman
(P/1B/3B) who will work from the circle where she recorded a 2.36 ERA in 2023 as
well as Maggie Wheat (LF) and outfielders Kylie Ward and Ava Hamilton. Certain to
work plenty of inning from the circle will be lefthander Emma Hackler (P/CF, So.),
who also swings a powerful bat defined by a .366 batting average with 10 doubles
and 10 triples as a freshman. Keira Cox (1B/DP, So.), Abby Martin (OF, So.) and
Gracie Spadley (OF/3B, So.) will add to the overall team depth joined by seven
freshmen including Jerry Sommers, Kenzie Williams, Kennedy Williams, Brystal
Hammons, Lextyn Soehlman, Kinlee Taylor and Emma Walker who coach Dill tabs as
an immediate impact player who will hit in the top half of the order while player
shortstop, second or third base.
“We’ve got a good group that loves to play softball and will compete from the first
pitch to the final out to find a way to win,” coach Dill said with confidence. “I’m
looking forward to watching these girls play ball. They make coaching fun.”