Unfinished business for Preble softball this season

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - It’s time to think spring, or at least spring break. This year the Green Bay Preble Hornets hit the road to start their season all the way down south in Florida.

“It was amazing. We did a lot of team bonding at the hotel. We were doing everything outside of the softball field. Then when it came to the softball field, we were always together, which I think is good,” said junior shortstop Ashley Wolfe.

“What you get out of it, so much depends on what your group is. The type of group you have, and what they’ve been through together is important. We went down there to stack up with the best ones we could find,” said head coach Ron Metzler.

The Hornets hit the road in search of some team bonding, and better competition. Starting the season 0-2, but getting much more out of the trip than wins or losses.

“We’re almost like a family. I’ve been playing with most of these people for like seven-eight years of my life. So, we really have that trust in each other. We know what each other can do,” said senior pitcher Brooke Hock.

The defending FRCC champs have plenty of talent retuning this year. Including nine seniors and junior Oregon State commit Ashley Wolfe. As well as a young group that gained plenty of experience down South.

They also have plenty of unfinished business. As a program the Hornets have averaged more than 20 wins a season since 2013, but still have yet to reach the state tournament. That includes last year’s squad, which spent much of the campaign near the top of the rankings. Only to fall in the sectional finals against eventual champion Kaukauna.

“I do think they are thinking about it, they are talking about it. They realize they had a tough game, a bad game against a very good team. We’re all conscious to keep improving, and do better if we’re so lucky to get back into that situation,” said Metzler.

“I think we were like, ‘Ok, we’ve got to better prepare for next year.’ We have to work on what we have to work on. We have to do what we have to do, and learn from our mistakes that we played in that game,” said Hock.

One of the big keys to success this year goes right back to where this journey started just a short time ago, with teamwork and team chemistry at the forefront.

“It’s a team sport. We can’t just do it with one great pitcher. We can’t do it with one great hitter. It’s everybody playing their part,” said Hock.

“I think the team bonding really helps us on the field, because if you don’t have team chemistry everyone’s going to play for themselves. You have to play for a team,” said Wolfe.

Copyright 2022 WBAY. All rights reserved.