Softball – First year head coach Rich Giering excited about upcoming season; expects team to challenge in the rugged EPC. SEASON PREVIEW:

Coach – Rich Giering (1st year)

Assistants – Jerry Lewis, Mark Pastor, Adam Schwab, Victor Diaz, Art Getchius (JV)

Last year – 12-9 overall/11-6 EPC. Qualified for EPC – lost to Whitehall 5-2; Qualified for Districts – lost to Parkland 3-0

Losses to graduation/position: SS Marah Sisonick, CF Kira Ryan, P Lily Bruckler, INF/OF Natalie Lazaro, INF Carly Anderson

Returnees/position: Jr. 2B Daria Krout (.286, 2nd Team Lehigh Div), Sr. 1B Lindsey Moreau, Jr. C Mason Roselli (2nd Team Lehigh Div), Sr. RF Peyton Sisonick, Jr. CF Shayla Morgan (.485, 2nd Team Lehigh Div), Jr. P Danika Barthol (3-1, 2.50 ERA), Sr. P/1B Sarah Sherman (.333), Jr. LF Rachel Sherman (.389, 2nd Team Lehigh Div), Jr. SS Aveaha Schwab (.391), Sr. OF Brooke Huczko

Newcomers: Jr. CF Ashlyn Sherwood, Jr. INF Alexis Schoonover, Sr. 3B Sami Lilly, Jr. OF Taylor Hiestand, JR P/3B Kamryn Tokar, Jr. INF Aubrey Molnar

Coach Giering – “We expect to be in both the league and districts playoffs and as far as anything after that we will see what happens down the road. The girls have been working hard each and every day in the pre-season and that’s all I can ask for as a new coach. I’m very excited about this group and we will be ready to go. In our division I expect us to compete with Parkland, Northampton and Whitehall and I also expect Freedom and Becahi to be tough.”

Season-opener – March 25 vs Perkiomen Valley, home 4 pm

Follow the team on social media: Twitter (@Emmaussports, @EmmausSoftball); Facebook (Emmaus softball), Eastern Pa Sports Network (www.easternpasportsnetwork.com)