Softball: Speed, defense strengths for DeForest

They will flash some leather, and they will run the bases well.

Whether that’s enough for the DeForest softball team to contend in the Badger Large Conference remains to be seen.

“Our defense will be a strength of ours this season,” said Norskies’ head coach Lori Grundahl. “We have a lot of speed on this particular team.”

Six letterwinner batters from last season return to the lineup, with five back to play in the field. Eight letterwinners in all return for the Norskies in 2024, from a DeForest team that went 11-14 overall in 2023.

There is reason for optimism.

“This year’s team is filled with opportunity and potential,” said Grundahl, entering her 28th season as coach. “The excitement heading into this season is that each team you play on as an individual is different. The ceiling for what you can accomplish lies within your teammates and how you push one another in practice each day. We have familiar faces returning, but they will need to adapt quickly to what this year’s role is and what their team needs from them.”

The Norskies will be challenged at the plate, playing in a Badger Large Conference that’s full of great arms.

“Offensively, this season we will face some fantastic pitching within our conference,” said Grundahl. “It is going to be important to be able to execute a short game, as well as put the ball in play with runners in scoring situations.”

Grundahl feels the conference is loaded this year.

“We have an incredibly tough conference schedule, with some of the best talent I have seen in my coaching career,” said Grundahl.