WC softball returns major pieces, looks to make a run in 2025

The Wilmington College softball team began their 2025 season last week with an 8-4 win against the visiting Franklin College Grizzlies.

The Quakers are coming off a 2024 campaign that saw them finish with a 19-20-1 overall record and 7-11 mark in the tough Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) under first-year head coach Megan Warren.

Their 19 wins were the most in a season since they won 20 in 2013, and their tie for sixth in the conference was their best finish since joining the OAC in the fall of 2000.

The Quakers had five players graduate last season. Their biggest loss came in the circle, where Hillary Huffer won seven games for the Quakers and pitched to an earned run average (ERA) of 4.55 in 24 appearances and 17 starts. She pitched a pair of shutouts, had two saves, and struck out 42 hitters.

Mollie Moore was a solid contributor for the Quakers on the basepaths, where she stole seven bases and scored 12 runs. She was also a solid outfielder for Wilmington.

McKenna Archey was not only a solid bat for the Quakers, but she was a huge part of the team’s culture and will be missed in the dugout this season.

All three players who earned All-OAC honors for Wilmington are returning. Senior Rachel Berry and sophomore Kori Cornett were both named to the Second Team, while Graduate Student Samantha Schwab was an Honorable Mention.

Berry is the Quakers’ primary left fielder and had a team-best .420 batting average last season with 37 hits, 20 runs scored, 18 RBI, eight walks and four doubles last season over 35 games. She also stole four bases for Wilmington and sported a .469 on-base percentage.

Cornett had a great freshman season that saw her hit .367, steal 15 bases, get a team-high 51 hits, score 37 runs, drive in 16 runs, walk 11 times and hit eight doubles with a .418 on-base percentage while starting all 40 games. Her 139 at bats and 37 runs scored were both new Quakers single-season program records.

Schwab had the most prolific power season in Quakers program history. She hit three home runs in a single game twice and hit four home runs over a two-game period. Her 11 total home runs and 43 runs batted in are new Quakers single season program records. Schwab had 72 total bases, an .818 slugging percentage, a .424 on-base percentage, 24 runs scored, five doubles and one triple.

Senior Judaea Wilson also looks to be a major piece for the Quakers this season. She hit .371 last season with 46 hits, 33 runs scored, 14 walks, nine doubles, five triples, one home run and could have very easily been an All-Conference player in her own right.

Other returning starters for Wilmington are Jocelyn Franz, Alasandra Spears and Claire Scully. A few other players, including sophomores Ashley Jo Hardesty, Maddie Starnes, Rylee Held and junior Nina Peak, look to earn significant playing time this season for Wilmington.

Wilmington brings in 10 freshmen this season, all of whom look to make a splash for the Quakers. A few that look to make a major impact right away for Wilmington are Haley Johnson from Wilmington and Addysen Stevens from Van Wert, Ohio.

The rest of the class is Peyton Murphy, Katie Davis, Kaydence Cramton, Audrey Patel, Maddie Geminden, Cici Harding, Allison McGuire and Emrie Schmidt.

The Quakers have several pitchers this season, and they intend to use them. Coach Warren sees every available arm Wilmington has to get some innings in the circle.

The returning pitchers for Wilmington are Makenzie O’Neil, Laney Starbuck, Belle Baughman, Lauryn Humphrey, Gracey Dearmon (a Hillsboro HS graduate) and Kori Cornett.

O’Neil threw the most innings with 15.2 in six appearances and three starts, striking out seven hitters. Starbuck made three saves in nine appearances for Wilmington in a relief role, throwing 8.1 frames with four strikeouts.

Along with her outfield duties, Cornett pitched 5.2 innings over six appearances and had four strikeouts. Dearmon and Humphrey threw two innings each, while Humphrey had one strikeout.

First-year pitchers looking for a big role are Audrey Patel, Maddie Geminden and Haley Johnson.

The big news in the infield for Wilmington is that Judaea Wilson will move from third base to shortstop and Alasandra Spears goes from first base to third base.

Head coach Megan Warren returns for her second season at the helm of the Quakers, while Taylor Watts also returns for her second season at Wilmington.

Returning for his 24th season with Wilmington is Tom Purtell (who is also a Fairfield HS coach), while Brett Sadler enters his fifth season on the Quakers bench.
 

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