2010 SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW: Lady Indians ready to surprise

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Du Quoin High School's Girls Softball team hopes to slip under the radar and again pull plenty of surprises.

The Lady Indians-with 13 returning letter winners and a talented crop of newcomers-open play Saturday in a road doubleheader against Marissa-Coulterville, weather permitting.

"My expectations are always high," said coach Jason James (sixth year, 76-82). "We are pretty much going to go out and take one game at a time. We are going to have a lot of fun and play as hard as we can on every pitch. This is probably the most talented team I have ever had, I don't know if that will result in any more wins, but we are going to really work and see what happens."

Four River-to-River All-Conference players will lead James' squad on the field.

Junior Heather Cavins (C) netted first team honors last season and returns for a third spring behind the plate.

Staff pitching ace Chelsea Hill is back for a fourth season at the varsity level. She also may see time at first and in the outfield.

Hill, classmate Ashley Hess (2B-3B) and junior Kelsey Toler (CF-1B) all garnered second team All-SIRR honors in 2009.

Shortstop Jessica Hirsch and third baseman Michaela Brown were starters last spring as freshmen and reurn to the infield along with Hess, sophomore Erica Rainwater and junior Ashley Ward.

In the outfield, Curry Emling (jr.) is back. Megi Jones (so.) and Magen Edwards (so.) return with plenty of experience.

Behind the plate, sophomore Jessy Wallace will again back-up Cavins and should see plenty of quality innings.

A talented freshman class is eight deep and led by pitcher/outfielder Cassidy Rice. Kelsey Robinson (fr., OF) is also ticketed for varsity playing time along with Hadley Marek (1B-C-DP) and Amanda Williams (DP-OF).

Cassidy Hill (OF), Carley Hill (OF), Skye Brock (3B) and Della Lee (OF) complete the list of frosh.

"If the first three weeks are any indication of what the season is going to be like, I think we are going to have a lot of fun," James predicts. "Honestly, No one expects very much out of us, except us, so we really want to go out and prove a lot of people wrong. We play a very tough schedule and the girls know that we will have to play our best every time out to be successful."

Du Quoin opened plenty of eyes last season, reaching the regional

semifinals and ending with a 17-14 record.