Story lines surrounding the Howard County softball squads as the 2011 picture begins to take shape include questions of depth and experience, along with concerns of consistency at the plate and on the field. Most teams have spots to fill — some more than others — and unfavorable weather certainly hasn’t helped matters, hampering outdoor practice opportunities in the early going.

Western and Kokomo were sectional finalists a year ago, and the Lady Panthers appear poised for a strong showing in Mid-Indiana Conference and tournament play with seven players back from last years 14-9 squad.

The Lady Kats lost seven members of last year’s 21-7 team but the coaching staff is enthusiastic following the team’s progress in practice thus far.

Taylor and Northwestern both have new coaches. Shane Arnold hopes the Lady Titans hit the ground running with nine returning letter-winners, and Lady Tigers coach Blake Betzner is confident his underclassmen will quickly fill spots around the returning core players.

Graduation losses stung Eastern, and coach Jerry Haines will look to six or seven freshman to immediately fill starting roles, something the veteran coach says he’s never dealt with in his 15 previous years at the helm.

Following are looks at each of the five area squads — all of which got in at least one game of action before spring break — as the season kicks into full gear this week.

KOKOMO

Fifth-year coach Lisa Tate points to offense as one of the Kats’ biggest reasons for excitement, but also one of her greatest concerns.

“We are looking pretty good in the batting cage, but we need to see more live pitching on the field,” Tate said. “My biggest concern is just getting some live games in, for my hitters especially to take more reps. That will be over soon enough as we start playing 2-5 times per week when we return from spring break.”

Kokomo opened with a 6-4 win over Peru on Tuesday, but won’t see another game until April 12.

Junior Katie Owings had two doubles and three RBIs to lead the Kat offense in that game, while junior Christine Skaggs went 3 for 4 from the plate with a double and two singles.

Skaggs batted .556 in 2010, while senior Caroline Harbaugh finished with a .366 batting average. Owings (.322) and sophomore Kendra Ryker (.299) also posted solid numbers at the plate last year.

“There are several kids that will put themselves on the map this year as we have beefed up our hitting program,” Tate said. “We have added some more emphasis and look to improve our batting averages across the board. It may take a few games to get their rhythm but I think it will be worth it.”

Harbaugh, along with fellow senior Brittney Scamehorn, will be counted on for strong leadership on the field. Scamehorn returns at catcher to lead the infield, while Harbaugh will anchor the outfield at center.

Ryker returns at shortstop, and junior Sarah Parry will be at second base. Owings will help out at first base.

Skaggs and returning sophomore Allie Cook will take turns pitching and playing infield.

“I really like the way our defense is shaping up, especially up the middle,” Tate said. “In the past our defense has gotten sloppy while our pitchers carry us so our defense has been a focus of improvement in the preseason.”

Returning sophomore Samantha Johnson will be in left field, while juniors Madeline McCauley and Alicia Luna will both see time in the outfield. Sophomore Shelby Troyer will help out behind home plate.

Three freshmen — pitcher Kamryn Sharp and infielders Raven Lusher and Schuyla Sharp — will provide additional support.

WESTERN

With six starters back — including five seniors — and a roster that runs 20 names deep, the Panthers have talent, experience, and depth as the season gets underway.

“This is by far the deepest team I’ve ever had,” coach Jim Clouse said. “It’s probably the best situation I’ve had in six years, of being able to bring girls off the bench to fill roles.

“This group of seniors has probably provided the best leadership as any of the groups I’ve ever coached. I expect a lot of things out of them from a leadership standpoint this year.”

Senior Katie Daine, last year’s No. 2 starter, will take over primary pitching duties in the pitching circle for Western.

“She’ll have to carry a big load, but she’s ready for this challenge,” Clouse said. “I think she’ll step up and do a tremendous job and have a big year.”

Clouse will look to his other seniors for plenty of support both on the field and at the plate.

Ally Davenport will catch Daine in her third year behind the plate. Emma Glover will play short stop and hit in the leadoff spot. Bre Snyder will make the switch from second to first base, and four-year starter Sam Hemming is back in center field. Both Snyder and Hemming batted over .300 last year.

Junior Kate Johnson led the team with a .431 batting average in 2010, and she’ll play left field.

Sophomore Morgan Grove is the other holdover from last year’s squad and will take over at second base.

To start the season, Clouse will lean on two freshmen, Evie Glover and Caitlyn O’Neal, to round out the starting nine.

Sophomore Madison Hurst and Freshman Erika Beeler will share the No. 2 spot in the pitching rotation.

Clouse also noted that sophomores Mel Meyer and Bri Childress, along with freshmen Carley O’Neal and Kiersten Durbin, will see plenty of playing opportunities.

Four other freshmen knocking on the door for time will be Mady Anderson, Kaysie Mulkey, Molly Shoffner and Haleigh Conaway.

“It’s going to come down to who can hit varsity pitching,” Clouse said. “I feel good about this team defensively, but on offense we have to hit the ball consistently. I think we will get better offensively as the season goes on because I think these younger kids still need to see some varsity at bats.”

EASTERN

The Lady Comets have plenty of holes to fill as the season gets under way. Eastern lost seven starters from last year’s 16-12 squad, including ace hurler Meghan Thomas and top hitter Brookelyn Smith.

“It’s hard to say what’s going to happen. We’re definitely going to be a work in progress,” said Comet coach Jerry Haines. “We have no seniors, and we only have three girls with any varsity experience.”

Juniors Hayley Mavrick and Colby Marner, along with sophomore Kelsey Russell are the three holdovers that will be heavily relied upon to provide leadership to a young squad.

Marner was Eastern’s second leading hitter last year, batting .311, while Mavrick hit .284. Haines said those girls will likely fill the three and four spots in the batting order, while Russell — a left-handed slapper who hit .262 last season — will probably lead off.

Mavrick and freshman Abby Oyler will share pitching. Both will be playing other positions when not pitching.

The rest of the Comets batting order, along with field positions, will be a juggling act for Haines and the squad early in the 2011 campaign.

“We’re just going to have to figure out what our best overall lineup is, and that’s probably going to take a few games,” Haines said. “I’ve got a total of 13 girls who should play varsity and seven of those are freshmen. Six of those freshmen will probably start.”

Marner, along with freshmen Ally Oyler and Kirstin Jones, will all see time at catcher, and whichever ones aren’t behind the plate will be in some other starting position. Marner and Jones, along with freshman Lizzy Mavrick, will all see time at the corners.

A combination of four girls — Ally Oyler, Hayley Mavrick, sophomore Chandler McMain and freshman Brooke Stout — will cover the second base and short stop positions.

Russell and Abby Oyler, along with sophomores Haley Johnston and Audra Isaac and freshmen Quinlyn Hochstedler and Elena White, will all split time in the outfield.

We’re going to be learning every game,” Haines said. “Fortunately, the talent is pretty good and I’ll have a lot of these girls for four seasons. This year, I’ll just be happy if we can have a winning season. Eastern has never had a losing season.”

NORTHWESTERN

The Lady Tigers graduated seven seniors from last year’s 11-9 squad but return five core players that first-year coach Blake Betzner hopes to build his team around.

“We have a good nucleus of players returning who should really be able to compete this year. We have five upperclassmen that are capable of stepping up. Now they just need to go out and do it.”

Those five players are seniors K.J. Gingerich and Aubrey Sherman, and juniors Jamison Barton, Jenna Jordan (.358) and Kelcey Kellett.

Gingerich is the top returning hitter for the Lady Tigers after hitting an eye-popping .690 and will work behind the plate.

Sherman will move from the outfield to second base, and Barton will be at first, batting somewhere in the middle of the order.

Jordan, last year’s ace for Northwestern, will be back in the circle as the No. 1 option after posting an ERA of 2.27. Sophomore Maddi Heflin will be the No. 2 pitcher. Betzner calls Heflin, who hit .371 last year, a clean-up-type hitter who should produce solid numbers at the four or five spot in the batting order.

“I think our hitting and pitching will be strong so as long as our fielding is good we should be in pretty good shape,” Betzner said. In addition to Heflin, Betzner is counting on four other sophomores to fill key roles for the Tigers.

Hannah Beachy will play third base. Sam Brown will be in left field, and Libby Hansen—the Tigers only left-handed bat, will be in right. Sarah Johns will be the first player off the bench, filling a variety of roles in the infield and also pinch hitting.

“We’re a pretty solid team,” Betzner said. “There are not a lot of weak spots. I feel like we have a real strong sophomore group.”

Betzner said one surprise coming into the season was freshman Kelsey Richards, who will play shortstop and is slated to bat in the first or second spot in the order.

Richards was 4 of 4 and drove in five runs to help propel Northwestern to a 14-3 opening-night win over Sheridan.

“She can do about anything. She’s just a really skilled athlete,” Betzner said.

Betzner will have an extra boost in the dugout as his wife Halee, a former all-state player at Carroll, will be an assistant coach.

“It’s nice to have someone who has had the experiences at that level as a player,” he said.

TAYLOR

First-year coach Shane Arnold inherits a Titan squad that struggled to a 6-17 mark in 2010 but returns the bulk of those players, with three seniors and six juniors back on the field.

For Arnold, the season begins with those seniors — 2010 2nd-team all conference player Brooklyn Lemons, Casey Moore and Megan Steward.

“Those are the team captains, and the experience they bring back is awesome,” Arnold said. “So far they’ve done a great job showing senior leadership and focusing the team on the task at hand. Our goal is to compete for the [Mid-Indiana] conference and to win our sectional. If we accomplish both of those, we’ll be light years ahead.

“I really expect good things from all three on the field and at the plate.”

Lemons, a switch-hitter, can play nearly any spot on the field and will likely be the No. 2 pitching option. Moore will anchor down the outfield while Steward will see a variety of infield duty at second and third base, as well as filling in at catcher over the first few games.

Highlighting the junior cast is Kelsey Gordon, who is back in the circle as Taylor’s ace for a third year. Other returning juniors include shortstop Mone’y Black (team-high 18 RBIs), catcher Lindsay Duncan and outfielder Alyssa Dudley. Caitlyn Arnold (.317 average), all-conference honorable mention in 2010, will hold down third base, while Lizzy Vautaw will split time between first base and right field.

Arnold says the juniors will be leaned on to take leadership roles and shoulder much of the workload.

“All six can really stroke the ball. They can all hit for power and should be able to produce solid numbers at the plate.”

Sara Alexander, Elaine Bottomly, Shannon Stockdell and Audrianna Clark will all get shots at playing time as sophomores.

In addition, four freshmen will compete for varsity playing time. Raven Black has been pegged as the No. 3 pitcher and will also see time at first and second base, while Taylor Mosier, Ashleigh Till and Jacquelyn Rhoads are also in the mix.

“We go almost 18 girls deep fighting for nine spots, and it just makes everyone work that much harder,” Arnold said. “We haven’t had much outside time, so that’s a concern, but we’re still anxious to get the season started.”