Photo by Jake Olson: Photo by Jake Olson: Front row left to right: Hayley Clarke, Lillie Schultz, Ida Rohman, Addy Wohlhuter, Sydney Clow, Taylor Hughes, Emma Geldart. Back row left to right: Courtney Anderson, Emily Schettler, Sydnee Borchardt, Ivy Olson, Bailey Larson, Mikaela Rosenberg, Maddie Carlson, Rowan Faber, Stella Rohman.

TRIMONT – Armed with returning experience, head coach Darrell Ziegler and the Martin County West High School softball team are poised to string together another competitive spring season.

Last year’s Maverick team had its best win total in the past 10 seasons after finishing with a 22-5 record. MCW ran through the Section 2A bracket with wins over Nicollet and New Ulm Cathedral before ultimately falling to United South Central in the state qualifier.

This time around, Ziegler and his staff are set to bring back a handful of players from all corners of the diamond in hopes of making yet another deep postseason push.

“I think we are going to be a really solid team,” Ziegler said.

The Mavericks will be without three key contributors from this past season due to graduation. Emily Anderson and Hannah Rosenberg were two of MCW’s best bats while holding down the middle infield and outfield positions. The two led the team in hits with 43 apiece and earned All-Conference selections. Cami Clow rounded off the senior departures after giving stout defense at first base.

But setting the foundation for this year’s group is the Mavericks’ returning talent on the mound. 2025 All-Sentinel selection Maddie Carlson highlights the pitching staff following a 2.18 earned run average that stretched 141 innings of work. She also put together 175 strikeouts and seven shutouts.

Sydney Clow is another arm the Mavericks aim to use this season after showing up with big performances in last year’s playoff run. The now junior tossed 6 and â…” frames of scoreless softball during the Section 2A Championship series versus the Rebels.

“We have both of those pitchers back, and both will be juniors this year,” Ziegler said. “They played a lot of summer ball with travel and club teams, so our pitching will hopefully be as good as anybody in the area.”

Carlson also brings back experience in the batting order, along with infielder Courtney Anderson. The two are expected to be some of the top sluggers for MCW after sitting in last year’s middle of the lineup, hitting .385 and .419 while each notching 32 RBIs.

Carlson and Anderson aren’t the only weapons poised to come back at the plate.

“We have a number of other girls that had very solid seasons last year that are back,” Ziegler said. “It will hopefully be able to make our lineup difficult to get through, where we don’t have any easy outs.”

Catcher Emily Schettler and second baseman Addy Wolhuter have anchored spots in the lineup for the past handful of seasons. Bailey Larson, a designated hitter the previous year, is expected to see time in the infield or outfield. Outfielders Rowan Faber and Lillie Schultz bring back many innings of their own in the left and center positions.

The remaining spots will be determined by an impressive class of juniors. Ziegler calls this group “pretty even” when it comes to talent, saying preseason practices have been filled with a good balance of competition between players vying to earn time in the starting lineup.

“I always tell my girls that we expect you to give 100 percent and play at a high level,” Ziegler said. “If you get an opportunity, take advantage of the opportunity and show us that you are one of those players that should be out there all the time.”