Visitation softball's next trip to state means playing tougher foes

Visitation's softball team is coming off the best season in school history, earning its first trip to the state tournament.

The Blazers' reward was to move up in classification. They will play in Class 3A this year after competing in Class 2A last season.

"When that took place, the [Minnesota State] High School League doubled our enrollment since we were an all-girls school, which is fair," Visitation coach Dan Jameson said. "It puts us in with teams we should be with. It's basically just a new tag. We'll still be playing a lot of the same teams we have been playing."

Unlike previous years, Class 3A is not the class with the largest schools. The league added a fourth class to softball starting with the 2016 season.

"We will be building on a strong base of returning players that helped get Visitation to the state tournament last year," Jameson said.

Before reaching the state tournament, the Blazers had lost in the section final three of the previous four seasons.

"That was a huge burden to get off our shoulders," Jameson said. "It was so proud of our girls and coaching staff."

"We have been the Tri-Metro Conference champions the last two seasons," Jameson said. "We are poised to make a good run at defending that streak. There are several good teams that will make it very difficult for us to three-peat."

Jameson will take a nice mix of experience and youth to the diamond.

"We are actually a very young team," said Jameson of a group comprised of four seniors, two juniors, six sophomores and one freshman. "As we graduate our seniors, our younger girls are filling in quite nicely."

The Blazers will be led by senior Sarah Otto in the pitcher's circle. She is a six-year starter.

"Sarah started as a seventh-grader and had over 100 strikeouts in her first year and has not let up," Jameson said. "She is a two-year captain for us, and we rely on her leadership to help with the younger players."

"Jocie is as strong of a shortstop as we ever had at Visitation," Jameson said. "Hannah has been on the varsity team since eighth grade. She has a cannon for an arm and will be our cleanup hitter."

Three sophomores also figure in the everyday lineup: catcher Caitlyn Schreier, second baseman Kaitlyn Zenner and center fielder Ingrid Crabbe. Schreier is coming off a .292 season with 22 RBI.

Two other sophomores, Emily Gitter and Janeve Silva, await their turn in the pitcher's circle.

"We are very deep at the pitching position," Jameson said. "Our junior varsity team has not lost a Tri-Metro Conference game in three years with those two pitching."

So, don't expect the Visitation program to fade despite moving up in classification.