LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph softball team is ready to hit the field as the 2023 season draws near. The WildCats start the new campaign this Saturday at Methodist.

Last year's team posted a record of 10-29 and had 11 games decided by one run. The WildCats had five players named to the All-ODAC Team, which were the most in program history, and one named All-Region.

This year's team has 12 returners with eight newcomers joining. Among the returners are ODAC First Teamers Dominique Irving and Delaney Nuckols. Irving is coming off a career sophomore year as he led the WildCats in batting average (.442), slugging % (.594), hits (61), runs scored (40), homeruns (3) and stolen bases (19). She led the ODAC in hits and runs scored and was second in batting average. Nuckols had career-highs in hits (46) runs scored (30) and RBI (17) while also posting a career-best .948 fielding percentage at shortstop.

The infield will have a plenty of experience coming back in Lexi Lama, Railey Oetken, and Lacey Lucado. Lucado was the only WildCat to start all 39 games as a first year as she recorded 30 hits and scored 25 runs while knocking in 17. Lama started 12 of 18 games at first base and posted a .985 fielding percentage with just one error committed. Coming back after not playing last season is Kylie Stark.

Irving will patrol the outfield once again. She is joined by Jenna McDermott who comes to the team from UVA-Wise. McDermott started all 73 games she played in for the Cavaliers in two seasons. In 2022, she led the team in batting average (.360), runs scored (40), hits (40) and was second in slugging percentage (.651) and homeruns (5). Others factoring into the mix are first years Brooke Rolocut, Alexa Tretola, Olesia Walch, and sophomore Liz Mason.

Lexi Hawkins is back at catcher. She had career highs in runs scored and hits and heated up toward the end of 2022 with hits in five of her last six games. Hawkins was second among regular starters in fielding percentage at .974.

In the circle, Paige Scruggs led the WildCats with 36 strikeouts and a team-low 4.18 ERA. Jenna St. John and Emily Morris are also back. Walch will also see time on the bump.

After playing their first two opponents on the road, Randolph's home opener is March 1 against Greensboro. The ODAC opener is March 25 at Eastern Mennonite.