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Despite the loss of five starters from last year's district championship team, the outlook for the 2017 McDonald County Lady Mustangs softball team is just as bright. A group of talented newcomers will join the five returning starters to make the Lady Mustangs one of the premier teams in southwest Missouri. "We lost five seniors, but the great thing is we have a lot of young players back," said coach Skyler Rawlins. "We are young, but we are experienced for the most part. They know the expecta- tions and what we expect from them on a daily basis." Rawlins enters his third year as head coach of the Lady Mustangs, record- ing 36 wins in his first two years. In his first year McDonald County earned a conference title while last year the Lady Mustangs won its first district title since 2008. Leading the returning starters is catcher Kylie Helm. The junior earned second team All-State honors last year as a sophomore with a .656 batting average that included six home runs and 36 RBIs in 26 games. "Kylie looks great behind the plate and she might get a chance to play in the field a little this year," Rawlins said. "She is probably one of the best hitters in our area and throughout the state." Kylie Helm is not the only offensive threat in the Lady Mustang lineup. Senior centerf ielder Cloee Helm (Kylie's cousin) hit .465 with 20 stolen bases. Other returning starters include Whitney Kinser at third base, Kenzie Stephens in right field and Chloe Colvin at shortstop. Returning lettermen Rita Santillan and Leslie Yousey are expected to take over in left field and second base while Maddie Colvin (Chloe's twin sister) is slated to start at first base. Senior Miryan 8C McDonald County Press Thursday, August 24, 2017 F a l l S p o r t S p r e v i e w Softball Squad A Premier Team By Rick Peck Special to McDonald County Press NUMBER NAME GRADE POSITION 2 Leslie Yousey 11 2nd/SS 3 Katie Kester 9 IF/P 4 Miryan Martinez 12 OF 5 Emily Emmert 10 OF 6 Madi Colvin 10 C/IF 7 Kenzie Stephens 12 OF 8 Cloee Helm 12 OF 9 Alexa Hopkins 9 P/IF 10 Kaylee Cornell 11 P 11 Kylie Helm 11 C 12 Kaylee Eberley 10 OF 13 Whitney Kinser 10 3rd 15 Chloe Colvin 10 SS/P 17 Rita Santillan 10 OF 18 Deorica Zamora 9 OF 19 Alison Nicoletti 10 1st/3rd 20 Catlin Hall 10 OF 22 Kristin Cornell 10 OF/2nd 23 Yzabelle Delacruz 10 OF 24 Jackie Grider 10 C/IF 26 Jaylie Sanny 10 1st/P 27 Lili Ramirez 10 IF Head Coach: Skyler Rawlins Assistant Coach: Lee Smith Manager: Bekah Hitt Assistant Coach: Heath Alumbaugh Trainer: Alex Herndon Assistant Coach: Kyle Smith PHOTO BY RICK PECK The 2017 McDonald County Lady Mustangs softball team. Front row, left to right: Caitlyn Hall, Chloe Colvin, Kristen Cornell, Emily Emmert, Miryan Martinez, Whitney Kinser and Madison Colvin. Middle row: Jaylie Sanny, Katie Kester, Jackie Grider, Kaylee Cornell, Kylie Helm, Deorica Zamora, Yzabelle Delacruz and Rita Santillan. Back row: Cloee Helm, Kaylee Eberley, Alison Nicoletti, Alexa Hopkins, Bekah Hitt (manager), Kenzie Stephens, Lilli Ramirez and Leslie Yousey. 2017 Lady Mustangs softbaLL RosteR SEE SOFTBALL PAGE 11C