By: Kyle Moylan
Weighing the good against the bad is like an elephant compared to a mouse, but Carolyn Eckhardt couldn’t help but reflect back to the days before the New Egypt High School softball team won a state title.
"We got the big old target on our backs now," Eckhardt noted. "I kind of liked it when no one knew who we were and we could sneak up on teams. As the program has become more successful, we’ve become the team to beat. The target gets bigger and bigger. As I told the girls, we can’t have a bad day. There will be someone waiting to take advantage of that."
Eckhardt is entering her seventh season on the job as the New Egypt coach and the sixth on varsity. She has led the New Egypt varsity softball team into the playoffs in every year of its existence. The team won the sectional title in 2004. Last season it won the state title.
The team certainly took some major hits Sara Messinger and Shannon Houston don’t come along very often but New Egypt was blessed to have a freshman pitcher lead it to the state title. Her sister may have graduated, but Abbey Houston will be around for two more years after this one.
"It’s definitely nice to have her back," Eckhardt noted.
Houston will be a key component as New Egypt fights to find a new identity.
"I don’t know if we can replace the girls we lost," Eckhardt said. "The way I see it, it’s a matter of finding different strengths from the returning girls. The girls we have back need to step up."
One of those key returnees is Molly Dixon, who will shift over from second base to replace Shannon Houston at short.
"She’ll be our third or fourth hitter," Eckhardt noted. "She not only has power, she can also do the little things."
Also back is Kaci Hopkins, a sophomore who will play first.
"We saw a little of what she could do at the plate last season," Eckhardt noted.
Laura Sandford, reminding everyone that this is a team sport, will be in at second base. The sophomore was an infielder most of her playing career before coming to New Egypt as a freshman last season. There was a need in the outfield, so she made the switch. Now there’s a need at second, so she’ll switch again.
Rounding out the infield is Lindsay Rajeski, a senior that will hold down third base.
"She has a good bat for us," Eckhardt said. "We’re looking to slide her into the leadoff position."
Lindsay Mann, a sophomore, will be the backup pitcher and also play at catcher.
Eckhardt has several options in the outfield. They include senior Lynn Sandford, junior Emily Straniero, and sophomores Sara Jobes, Kelly Mason and Lauren Siegelski.
Jen Search will be a utility player. Katie Francis and Lauren Dey should also see some playing time.
New Egypt will open up the season on Tuesday at home against Florence.
"Every season and makeup of the team is different," Eckhardt said. "You can’t focus on the past."
What you can focus on are the fundamentals of softball.
"As long as the kids do the fundamentals correctly, success follows," Eckhardt said.
But, Eckhardt stressed, that success will be unique to this group of girls.
"As nice of a legacy as the past teams have had, I don’t look at it as filling their shoes," Eckhardt said. "We have to make our own path."

