Softball picked ninth in preseason AMC poll
The University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy's Softball team was selected to finish ninth in the preseason coaches poll as announced by the American Midwest Conference on Wednesday. The Eutectics had three teams behind them out of the 12-team conference and at the end of the season, the top eight will make the field for the AMC Postseason Tournament. UHSP will have to finish one spot better than their preseason position in order to make the field.
Missouri Baptist is the preseason pick to win the AMC with 106 points and seven first-place votes. Williams Baptist was second with 99 points including two first-place votes while Central Baptist rounded out the top three with 89 points. Columbia was picked fourth with 86 points and last year's AMC Tournament Champions in Cottey landed one first-place vote among their 85 overall points. The Eutectics received 46 points and were selected ahead of Mission (41), Hannibal-LaGrange (27) and Harris-Stowe (18). William Woods (70), Stephens (54) and AMC newcomer Crowley's Ridge (48) were sixth through eighth.
The Eutectics are coming off a 13-27 campaign a year ago, going 5-13 in the AMC. One of those conference wins was a 6-5 (8 inning) stunning upset of the Columbia Cougars on Mar. 23 in Affton. UHSP had been 0-17 all-time against Columbia prior to that win. In the 2024 AMC Tournament, UHSP lost to Missouri-Baptist 6-0 in the Quarterfinals and then were bounced by Columbia 7-1 in an elimination game.
One of the improvements heading into the new campaign has been the bolstering of the pitching staff. UHSP will return their main two starters from a year ago as Emma Henley (8-13, 5.13 ERA) headlines the group. Lexi Knoll (4-14, 7.68 ERA) also returns as she remains for her grad season. Henley and Knoll combined to log 238 of the 244.1 innings pitched by Eutectic pitchers a season ago. But of the 13 freshman that claim a spot on the 2025 roster, seven of them could see time in the circle. Brianna Rowland, Karsyn Makenzie Black, Trysten Murphy, Eva Kameoka, Karlea Frey, Talianna Joyner and Mackenzie Nelson all come in with pitching experience. The Eutectics finished eighth a season ago in staff ERA in the AMC with a combined mark of 6.27. Stephens College was one spot ahead of UHSP, but allowed almost a full run and a half less with an ERA of 4.87. Missouri Baptist headlined the conference at 2.24. Pitching is definitely one area that will have to improve in order for UHSP to be more competitive.
Knoll (1B/3B) also returns as the top hitter for the Eutectics after leading the club with a .336 batting average a year ago. She had a pair of homeruns and drove in 24 runs on the season. Kianna Pilling (C) is also back after hitting .283 with two homers and 19 RBI's. On the downside, last year's power freshman Sydney Hinojosa will be sidelined this season with an injury. Hinojosa hit .327 in her rookie season and led the club with three homeruns and 27 RBI's. UHSP was ninth in hitting in the conference last year with a team batting average of .275, but the gap between the Eutectics and the top-tier clubs is not nearly as wide as on the pitching side. Only .014 separated teams six through nine in team batting average while the conference leader was Central Baptist at .335. Now if you entered a discussion on power numbers and sheer volume of runs, that conversation looks much different as the Mustangs had 384 R, 48 HR, 341 RBI while UHSP's numbers in those categories were 175-10-141. Coach Michelle Patrico will rely on some new faces to improve on those offensive numbers. Payton McClellan (OF) enters the fold from Normal, IL while transfers Hallie Roper (Jr - C/3B) comes over from Rend Lake. Kaylin Haas (Jr) is a versatile infielder that can play three infield positions and transfers in from Jefferson College.
The Eutectics begin the season with a doubleheader on Feb. 15 at Lemoyne-Owen and then a pair of games the following day a Bethel (TN). UHSP's home opener is slated for Feb. 26 against Brescia.