BATTER UP — Members of the Fairmont Cardinals softball lineup opening the season by playing host to New Ulm on Tuesday, April 11, at Cardinal Park in Fairmont include, front row (l-r): Ilana Moeller, Kynlie Anderson, Anna Ehlert, Ashley Muller, Gabby Leiding and Lacie Fetters. Middle row: Chloe Miller, Ava Terfehr, Chantel Moeller, Allison Janssen and Ella Klunder. Back row: Tegan Livesay, Nevaeh Rahm, Brylee Miller, Emily Muller and Ava Gillmore. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — By the end of last autumn, Fairmont head softball coach Cory Hainy’s pitching staff had been decimated by major injuries.

Nevaeh Rahm broke her ankle and fibula on a slide during American Legion diamond action on June 21, while Allison Janssen tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee during an Oct. 13 soccer match.

“I’m not going to lie to you — our pitching situation looked bleak at that time,” Hainy said in reference to losing his pair of hard-throwing varsity right-handers — who logged the majority of the team’s innings during the 2022 spring campaign.

Fast forward five months to the official first day of softball practice on March 13, and the Cardinals’ outlook improved exponentially.

While Janssen’s surgery proved a success from a long-term perspective, the Fairmont senior will most likely miss the entire season.

“Unfortunately, with AJ’s injury, we lost a good stick in our batting order and a pitcher who worked a lot of varsity innings,” said Hainy. “From a positive standpoint, she’s a team captain and we still have her leadership in the dugout as she remains an important part of our program.”

Meanwhile, Rahm’s surgery proved an even bigger success as the 5-foot-11 junior was able to rehabilitate her leg and return to the basketball court, helping guide Fairmont into the sub-section championship game this winter.

Rahm earned both Sentinel All-Area and first-team all-Big South Conference diamond accolades last spring after topping the Cardinals in victories (4) and strikeouts (101) during 68 1/3 innings inside the chalked circle.

Rahm also proved double-trouble for opponents by clouting two home runs and producing 13 RBIs via a .386 slugging clip to complement a .403 on-base percentage from an offensive perspective.

December proved a month of the Cardinal softball program receiving a bit of a Christmas gift as senior Tegan Livesay’s family moved to Fairmont from Newton, Kansas.

The 6-foot Livesay earned Class 5A first-team all-state softball honors last season by setting Newton’s single-season school record in strikeouts and ERA.

The 2022 Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League player of the year, who clouted 11 HRs last spring, has committed to play softball for Division I program Southeast Missouri State University next season.

“In a matter of six months, we went from bad to worse to pretty good from a pitching standpoint,” said Hainy. “Now we have five legitimate girls who could log varsity innings for us this season. We have a lot of options with Nevaeh, (freshman) Brylee Miller, (sophomore) Gabby Leiding, (senior) Anna Ehlert and Tegan comprising our pitching staff.

“The old saying is true, ‘you can never have too much pitching.'”

Senior Chantel Moeller, who handled all the signal-calling duties in 2022, will work behind the plate again this spring. Sophomore Ilana Moeller, Chantel’s cousin, will serve as the Cardinals’ reserve catcher.

Rahm will move to first base when not inside the pitching circle, with senior Emily Muller rotating to her starting position from a year ago when Rahm steps to the rubber.

Senior Kynlie Anderson will return to second base, with Livesay and Leiding filtering into the defensive right-side mix.

Miller will look to handle the fielding duties at shortstop after earning the spot last spring. Ehlert, Leiding and Livesay also have the skills to fill the void when Miller pitches.

Ehlert will return to her familiar spot at third base, while senior Ashley Muller and junior Ella Klunder round out the defensive depth at the hot corner.

Junior Ava Terfehr and senior Ava Gillmore, who returned to Fairmont after moving to Kansas last season, will anchor the Cardinals’ outfield, with Ashley and Emily Muller, Leiding, Anderson, senior Chloe Miller and senior Lacie Fetters also figuring into the mix.

“Whichever player can catch the ball on defense and also put the ball in play offensively will earn innings at the third outfield spot,” said Hainy.

Hainy and assistant varsity coach Tim Terfehr will look to improve on last season’s 7-15 overall record, including a 2-2 record during the Section 2AA postseason tournament.

“This is the core group from the first year that I was able to coach after co-vid, so Tim and I have been around them for a long time, and they know what we expect from them on the field,” said Hainy.

Hainy anticipates Section 2AA will be “loaded” again in traditionally top-notch state contenders such as New Ulm, St. James Area, Le Sueur-Henderson, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial and Belle Plaine this spring.

“I like to think we’ll be competitive, but we’ll see how we fare against the tougher teams on our schedule during the regular season before we even contemplate sectional play,” said Hainy.

Fairmont opens the season by playing host to New Ulm on Tuesday, April 11, at Cardinal Park.