By, DACODA MCDOWELL-WAHPEKECHE, Sports Editor
Northwestern’s softball team’s season was delayed because of inclement weather. The team will start its season in Wichita, Kansas, on Feb. 17.
Last year, the team only played 19 games, starting from Valentine’s Day up until spring break. Most of this season’s players on the softball team are returners from last season.
The Lady Rangers will compete in 45 games this season.
Kalie Johnson is returning for her third season. She has a batting average of .351, the sixth highest career batting average in the program’s history behind Dana Gandolfo, a Northwestern Hall of Fame athlete inducted last year.
“We were onto something,” Johnson said about last season’s abrupt ending. “I’m excited about this year. We’re even better than last year. It’s been almost a year since we have been on the field actually playing someone, so I am super excited.”
Johnson said she expects herself to have a higher batting average than last year.
Head coach Jill DeVries said on a Great American Conference talk show that Johnson is a pivotal player.
“We expect a lot out of her,” Devries said. “She performed well as a freshman. … She’s kind of been the linchpin in our lineup.”
Hannah Howell, a sophomore pitcher, said she was disappointed that the season was curtailed by the pandemic.
“We’re not taking anything for granted,” Howell said. “We’re lucky we are being able to play. So, we are just showing up every day and going hard as possible.”
Howell is returning for her second season. She was the starting pitcher for most of the 19 games played last year.
“I finally feel like we’re not a young team anymore,” DeVries said on a Great American Conference talk show on Jan. 13. “I am really excited about that.”
The softball team planned to play five games this weekend, but because of inclement weather, those games were either postponed or canceled.