Hauser’s Paige McDaniel throws a pitch against Brownstown Central on May 24, 2023, in the Brownstown Central Sectional semifinals.
The Republic file photo
After back-to-back final four appearances, deep tournament runs have become the expectation for Hauser softball.
That will be the case again this year as the Jets spend their second of a two-year cycle in Class 2A before a probable return to Class A next year.
The Jets will look for another quality season, despite the loss of four seniors from a 25-8 team, including Hannah Taylor, who now plays at Eastern Illinois.
“We have big shoes to fill with the four seniors leaving last year,” Hauser coach Andy Brunner said. “But we have a very large junior class. I mean absolutely no disrespect to Hannah and Kyra (Meister) and Reagan (Johnson) and Kylie (Mack), but I think that we will have another very strong year and hopefully, another deep run into the tournament.”
Senior Paige McDaniel has done the bulk of the pitching for the Jets the past three years. She went 20-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 159 strikeouts last season and also led the team with four home runs while batting .481 with 29 RBIs.
McDaniel will have some help this season with the addition of junior Haven Hartwell. Hartwell has played for Brunner in travel softball, but this will be her first year playing in high school.
“We have a girl who hasn’t played the last two years come back into the mix, so Paige has some help this year,” Brunner said. “She has stepped in big-time this year.”
Hauser’s Izzy Brunner bats against Columbus East April 10, 2023 at Hauser.
The Republic file photo
Junior Lucie Asher returns in center field after batting .471 with five doubles, three triples, a home run, 20 RBIs and 36 runs scored. Brunner’s daughter, junior Izzy Brunner, who batted .516 with four doubles, four triples, 21 RBIs and 34 runs scored last season, will move from second base to replace Taylor at shortstop.
“I hate moving her from second because she had a dynamite year last year, but we have to cover holes,” Andy Brunner said.
Junior Maley Jordan will move from first base to second. Haylin Campbell, who played catcher and left field the past two years, and freshman Kaitlyn Robinson, will shuttle between catcher and third base.
Sophomore Lexie Hamilton and junior Baylee Riley could play left or right field. McDaniel also can play first base and the outfield.
“We’ve focused on for years, instead of building position players, building utility players,” Andy Brunner said. “It definitely gives us some comfort being able to move kids around if we need to.”
Hauser will have a small team with only 11 players. Sophomore Allie Zapfe and Bia Hruba, an exchange student from Brazil, will provide depth.
“I think that with the work that we’ve done in the offseason and these girls being primarily multi-sport athletes, we will be just fine,” Andy Brunner said. “Everything is falling into place great. The girls know, and we talk about it when we start limited contact workouts in December, it’s a privilege to get to play into the middle of June, and it’s a privilege that we’ve worked really hard for.”
The 2024 Hauser softball schedule:
March 25 vs. Jennings County, 5:30 p.m.
March 26 at Brownstown Central, 5:30 p.m.
April 1 at Rising Sun, 6 p.m.
April 4 at Seymour, 5:30 p.m.
April 5 vs. Edinburgh, 5 p.m.
April 9 at Columbus East, 5:30 p.m.
April 11 at North Decatur, 5:30 p.m.
April 12 vs. North Decatur, 5:30 p.m.
April 15 vs. Eastern Hancock, 5:30 p.m.
April 17 at Connersville, 5:30 p.m.
April 18 at Waldron, 5 p.m.
April 19 vs. Waldron, 5 p.m.
April 20 at Indianapolis Lutheran, 10 a.m.
April 24 at Southwestern (Shelby), 5 p.m.
April 25 vs. Southwestern (Shelby), 5 p.m.
April 29 at Rushville, 5:30 p.m.
April 30 at Greensburg, 5:30 p.m.
May 2 vs. Milan, 6 p.m.
May 7 vs. Trinity Lutheran, 5 p.m.
May 9 vs. South Decatur, 5 p.m.
May 10 at South Decatur, 5 p.m..
May 11 at Franklin County Tournament, 9 a.m.
May 13 at Morristown, 5:30 p.m.
May 14 vs. Morristown, 5:30 p.m.
May 15 at East Central, 6 p.m.
May 14 vs. Columbus North, 5 p.m.
