Talented And Experienced: Bull Dogs return most key players from regional championship team

After winning one game in his first season as Columbus North softball coach in 2017, Ron McDonald has the program on par with some of the state’s best.

The Bull Dogs set a school record with 25 wins last season and won Conference Indiana, sectional and regional titles before falling to eventual Class 4A state champion Roncalli in the semistate. With nearly every key player back from that team, the Bull Dogs are hoping to take a couple more steps forward this spring.

“Two years ago, when COVID hit (and canceled the season), I said it was the best team I’ve ever had,” McDonald said. “Last year, I thought was the best team I’ve ever had, and this year, we’re even better. We built the program so we could reload and not rebuild.”

Junior Maddi Rutan was the biggest key to North’s ascension last season. In her first year of high school softball, she went 18-3 with a 1.51 ERA and clubbed a school-record 15 home runs to go along with 45 RBIs and a .473 average in earning The Republic Softball Player of the Year honors.

Senior Rachel Cowan, who missed much of last season because of injury and illness, will team with Rutan, who has committed to Eastern Kentucky, to give the Bull Dogs a formidable 1-2 pitching punch.

“Maddi and Rachel Cowan are throwing a few miles an hour faster than they were last year,” McDonald said. “I’m really extremely pleased with our pitching.”

Junior Kiersten Danford returns at catcher, and juniors Bailey King (.318, 22 RBIs) and Josie Lemmons (.372, 30 runs scored) are back at first and second base. Rutan plays shortstop when she isn’t pitching, and when she was pitching last season, senior Lucy Norman (.317) and junior Kaylee Cowan (.289, two HR) played there.

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Senior Lexi Heafner (.250, one HR), who has committed to Lincoln Trail, returns at third, but had knee surgery and likely won’t be able to play until mid-April. Lillian Mackey (.342, four HR, 21 RBIs), who is back in right field, fractured a thumb playing travel softball and could be back for the start of the season.

Norman and sophomore Kelsey Lovelace (.326, two HR, 19 RBIs) return in left field, with Norman also able to play shortstop and third and Lovelace able to fill in at short. Senior Taylor Hadley will be back in center after missing the end of last season.

Senior Emalee Heafner (.325, four HR, 16 RBIs) returns as the designated player and also could play right field. Lemmons and senior Kayden Hofelich also could play left or right. Kaylee Cowan also could see time at catcher or third base, and Rachel Cowan could play first base when not pitching.

“We are so versatile with our lineup,” McDonald said. “We have several girls who can play different positions. We’re so deep at each position”

McDonald has beefed up the Bull Dogs’ schedule following last year’s 25-5 season. They dropped Brown County, Edinburgh and Indian Creek and picked up Bedford North Lawrence and Floyd Central.

After opening with road games at East Central on March 31 and at Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South on March 2, they will play Roncalli, who is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the MaxPreps preseason poll, in their home opener on April 5. Columbus North then hosts a loaded Shelbyville team on April 7 and visits Floyd Central on April 9.

“There’s no cupcakes on our schedule,” McDonald said. “We’ll see what we’re made of. But we’re looking really good. I think we’re even ahead of where we were last year. The girls came in and know what to expect. I think they’re looking for a great season.”

McDonald is expecting a challenge from Shelbyville in this year’s sectional.

“If we don’t play good, we could get knocked off,” McDonald said. “There’s a big target on our back this year. We can’t sneak by people like we did last year. If we peak at the right time again, we could make a good run. But we’re going to have to be ready to do that.”