On the surface, Greene County softball 2019 may not have looked like a success. The 10-18 overall record under the leadership of veteran head coach Tom Kennedy doesn’t tell the whole story. That team began the season by losing its first eight games. After the 0-8 start, the team played better defense, walked fewer batters, and came up with some key hits, all of which led to 10 wins, including turning the tables of a couple of Heart of Iowa Activities Conference opponents the second time around.

Key players Jenna Beyers and Megan Carey graduated in 2019, but the rest of the team is back, including pitcher Emma Hoyle, who is a freshman, yet has a full season of varsity softball experience. The right-hander pitcher in 26 games last season, compiling a 10-14 record with a earned run average of 4.88. Hoyle batted .259 with a team best 25 runs batted in as an eighth grader.

Senior Izzy Bravard has the top returning batting average at .365. Freshmen Emma Stream and Olivia Shannon are returning starters, as are seniors Tieryn Tucker and Kyla Beyers, junior Karissa Stephenson, and sophomore Carmyn Paup.

The Rams open the 2020 season on Monday, June 15 in Des Moines vs. Saydel, a team they split two games with in 2019.