Gracie Long doesn’t remember the opponents, final scores or game specifics, but she can visualize the celebrations.
As an Edinburgh eighth-grader, Long watched the 2017 Lancer softball team steamroll three sectional opponents by a combined score of 34-2 before going on to capture a regional title for only the second time in program history.
Long, now a senior and a fixture at second base, wants the Lancers to again continue playing as deep into June as possible. In the way is longtime nemesis Hauser, who visits Edinburgh this evening for a Class A regional.
The teams met three times in the regular season with the Jets winning all of them by a total score of 44-18. All games were over a 16-day span in April; the Lancers would like to think they’ve grown up a lot since then.
“The first two times we played, a really felt our team was at a disadvantage,” Long said. “I was quarantined and we had some injuries at that time, too. I’m excited because lately our energy in the dugout is so good that I feel it’s picked us up in the field and at the plate.”
Long is one of six seniors on third-year coach Ben Taylor’s roster. Five are starters, with two of them — shortstop Kaitlyn Bailey and right fielder Morgan Calhoun — four-year regulars. Senior Catey Streeval plays first for the Lancers, while Mackenzie Whetstine roams center.
Whetstine is the third Edinburgh player to be in center field this season.
In the first game against Hauser, freshman Alix Streeval tore her ACL attempting to make a play defensively. Her backup, junior Carly Cowan, tore an ACL running the bases in a 6-5 victory over Trinity Lutheran late in the regular season.
Provided every excuse necessary to underachieve from that point forward, the Lancers blasted Waldron, 12-1, right before sectional and dominated their three postseason foes by a total of 47-8.
Hauser presents a far more formidable roadblock.
“They’re a complete team with solid athletes at every position,” Taylor said. “I think the Edinburgh-Hauser rivalry has always been there from before I arrived. Honestly, I think the last time we played them, that pushed our players in a different direction.
“We’ve gone 12-3 since then with the losses being against 4A schools — Columbus North, Center Grove and Seymour.”
Bailey, who is hitting .430, is one of five full-time Lancers with a batting average above .400, along with sophomore Gracie Crawhorn (.630), freshmen MacKenzie Bieker (.449) and Kyah Steeval (.432) and the aforementioned Catey Streeval (.403).
The senior knows Edinburgh must perform at top efficiency in order to qualify for semistate.
“This year we have really good bats throughout the lineup, and we’re working together more,” Bailey said. “There’s always been history between Edinburgh and Hauser in softball. I think they are beatable as long as we play to our full potential.”
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Class A regional
Hauser (24-4) at Edinburgh (16-10)
Time: 6 p.m.
Admission: $8
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