Centerville has high hopes behind ‘dynamic’ senior
Elks coach calls Emma Schutter ‘the best player in Ohio.’
Making a run at the Greater Western Ohio Conference title is the first goal for the Centerville Elks softball team.
After that is a run at No. 1 in the state.
Like the majority of teams in the Miami Valley – especially coming off the COVID-canceled 2020 season – Elks coach Wendell Hutchinson would prefer more varsity experience. What he does have is one of the top players in the state.
Senior Emma Schutter returns as the GWOC’s top hitter. Her .607 average in 2019 as a sophomore set the Elks’ single-season record, surpassing Christine Scholle’s .538 in 2012.
Schutter joined then-senior Korina Murphy of Stebbins, who led the league with .652, as the only players to hit .600 or better in the GWOC.
“Obviously I’m going to be biased, but I believe Emma is the best player in Ohio,” Hutchinson said. “There might be some people that disagree but when you consider all the things she does, it’s pretty remarkable what she’s able to do.”
Schutter signed to play college softball at the University of Dayton, adding to her family legacy. Schutter’s sister, Maggie, played volleyball at UD from 2014-17. Their father, Mark, played on the tennis team from 1982-85.
Hutchinson said Schutter – a standout outfielder who will play shortstop for the Elks – is an excellent slap-hitter who has added home-run power. She’s also a threat on the basepaths.
“Dayton got a great player, there’s no doubt about it. … She works extremely hard at all aspects of her game. She’s going to play shortstop for the high school team. And she’s just an phenomenal outfielder. There’s not one part of her game that is lacking. She’s just very dynamic.”
Centerville seniors Sydney Pilgrim (.244), Katie Warner (.317) and Schutter all received significant varsity at-bats in 2019, as did juniors Natalie Frazier (.182) and Anna Kauffman (.250) as freshmen.
Kauffman also returns the only varsity innings on the rubber. She pitched a team-high 51 innings in 2019, going 4-4 with a 2.74 ERA. She struck out 19.
“We don’t have as much varsity experience as I would like, but we have some kids that play travel ball,” Hutchinson said. “I expect us to be somewhere in the middle (with experience). … Everybody is a lot more excited. There’s more reason to be excited about this year than years past, for sure.”
Centerville, which has five seniors on the roster and starts two sophomores and three freshmen, enters this season as one of the favorites in the GWOC.
The last time high school softball saw the field was 2019. The GWOC has since scaled down to one eightteam division with the split of 10 former members into the two-division Miami Valley League.
“We’re young and we’re hopeful. I expect us to contend for sure,” Hutchinson said. “We have our goals and winning the league would be high. We’re also looking forward to making a run in the state tournament.”