FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — First-year coach Emily Kaleta is at the helm of a young Tiger softball team ready to compete in the balanced Eastern Maine Class D. The Tigers have plenty of returning talent this season, and their lack of returning seniors provides a unique opportunity for the junior-heavy squad to step up and build on their experiences over the next two seasons.
The Tigers are captained by junior Sarah Watt, who is the kind of leader Kaleta wants guiding this team. “She’s a great kid and always gives me her best. She has a good amount of knowledge of the sport and is a great teacher to my younger players, which I really appreciate,” Kaleta said. “Sarah is the epitome of a great captain.”
Kaleta says the team needs to be consistent to ensure success throughout the season.
“Just keep a positive attitude, be confident, and fight as hard as we can. If we can do these three things, everything else will fall into place,” she said.
With fellow Class D teams showing a good balance of talent and skill, Kaleta sees the road to the top being a long and hard-fought one.
“I think most of the teams in Class D are pretty evenly matched this year, so it’s going to be interesting to see who ends up on top,” she added. With the season a little more than halfway over for the squad, the Tigers will try to put together a solid string of wins and work their way toward the top of the Heal Point standings.
Starters for the Tigers this season are juniors Watt (second base), Taylor Churchill (catcher), Chelsey Pelkey (shortstop), Alexis Coiley (center field), Autumn Parady (third base), Morgann Towle (first base); and freshmen Kayla Tisdale (left field); Sara Edgecomb (pitcher) and Sadie Edgecomb (right field).
Rounding out the roster are junior Kayla Giberson, sophomore Makaila Flanagan, and freshman Hunter St. Pierre.
