Van-Far softball will adjust to a younger roster this year but thinks it can keep opponents off-balance.

The Lady Indians will have four seniors suit up on its new diamond this season, including senior pitcher/first baseman Mara Jensen, senior centerfielder Hailey Lowry, senior shortstop Madelynn Caldwell and senior outfielder Layla Ogden, head coach Kelly Borchert said. Complementing that experience is more speed and pitching.

“We have a handful of sophomores that are going to be playing varsity for us for the first time this year,” Borchert said. “We have a really good group of girls that work well together. I think that’s going to be beneficial for us.”

Reigning all-Eastern Missouri Conference player Jensen and Lowry each return at their respective positions and expect to be forces in the lineup, Borchert said. Jensen led Van-Far with a .960 OPS and 18 RBI while carrying a .323 batting average. Lowry had a 2.59 average in 11 games.

The defense will still have a new look, including a new middle infield and corner outfield. Caldwell played second base and outfield a year ago and will slot in this year at shortstop for the graduated all-conference player Devyn Keller, who led the team with a .403 average, 29 hits and six doubles.

“She’s a kid that arises to any occasion,” Borchert said. “She does what the team needs. We need her at short so that’s where she’ll play and she’ll give it her best shot every game.”

Junior third baseman Carmen Wilburn returns with a 2.81 average, .382 on base percentage and 10 RBI, and sophomores Dalana Gay and Reeve Woodall will be a couple key newcomers that will take turns into the circle for Van-Far. Woodall will also fill in at catcher and first base after Borchert said she was “pleasantly surprised” after her first summer game this year.

As far as what the trio of Jensen, Gay and Woodall will bring to the pitching staff, Borchert said she hopes to keep the other team guessing.

“They all come with a little something different,” Borchert said. “There are some that have multiple pitches and some that throw hard. Our goal is to hopefully mix them up in a game and throw off the other team’s lineup.”

A dose of speed on the basepaths could help Van-Far accomplish similar goals on the other side of the ball. Borchert said the Lady Indians have more speed than they’ve had in the past as junior Makenna Engh-Hoffman and sophomores Kayla Heaton and Abbie Shelton are all fleet-footed.

Van-Far is coming off a 10-13 season, hovering around .500 following a shortened losing 2020 season and five straight winning seasons prior to that. The Lady Indians lost 14-4 in the Class 1 District 8 championship game against No. 9 ranked Silex last season after winning 6-4 against Community R-6.

Borchert said she would like to see Van-Far playing for a district title again this season while also getting over the .500 hump, assuming the year goes smoothly without many injuries.

“Our thing is we just want to be competitive in every game,” Borchert said. “That’s always a big thing – to try to finish up .500 or over .500. You want to end up in the top half of your conference.”

Van-Far plays in a jamboree at 5 p.m. Monday in Louisiana before beginning the season Aug. 27 at the Hallsville Tournament.