A new season starts on Monday and expectations haven’t changed for the Mustang Broncos.
With familiar faces at key positions and new ones scattered across the diamond, Lacy Darity’s squad enters the 2024 fastpitch campaign looking to once again capture district and regional titles and to carry over last spring’s success into the fall.
The Broncos are no stranger to postseason accolades, having qualified for the Class 6A state tournament the last four years. Not to mention winning three of the last four 6A slow pitch state titles.
Now they’re after their first fastpitch title under Darity and fourth in program history.
“Our goals and expectations never change,” Darity said. “We want to win our district and put ourselves into a good position for postseason play and host a home regional. We want to win that regional and make it to state and be the last team standing.”
Mustang has the talent to turn those goals into reality, starting with a strong core up the middle.
Amelia Mason (Sr.) returns for her second season as the team’s go-to starting pitcher. She earned All-District honors last fall after tossing 112.1 innings over 21 games with a 1.68 earned-run average, a .917 WHIP, 103 strikeouts, and just 33 walks.
Amelia Mason (Sr.) returns for her second season as Mustang’s starting pitcher. She earned All-District Pitcher of the Year honors in 2023 and is primed for another big year. (Photo by Ron Lane / Lane Images)
“We expect big things out of Amelia after such a successful season last year,” Darity said. “She did an excellent job of stepping into that starting role without having a lot of varsity innings leading into the season. We feel really good about her and where she’s at right now.”
The Broncos have the luxury of pitching depth this season as Aubree Hall (Sr.) returns after pitching over 45 innings in 2023. She will help eat innings along with freshmen Skyla Hagan and Rylie Jeffreys.
“This year’s freshman class has five pitchers, which is a little bit different because we’re used to having a lot more catchers than pitchers. It’s a nice problem having a lot of quality arms where maybe in the past we only had two or three kids carrying the load.”
Reese Poage (Jr.) and Lexy Kierstead (Jr.) are back to help bolster the team’s lineup. Both have been key pieces to a pair of playoff runs the last two fall seasons and the squad’s two state titles in the past two spring campaigns.
Poage has established herself as arguably the best shortstop in the state, garnering attention from nearly every Division I school in the country, including Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
Reese Poage (Jr.) returns to the Mustang infield as arguably the best shortstop in Oklahoma. She burst onto the scene as a sophomore and helped guide the Broncos to a slow pitch state title in the spring. (Photo by Ron Lane / Lane Images)
She burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting .323 last fall with 11 RBI and four stolen bases. Poage carried that momentum into the spring, helping lead the Broncos to their second straight state title with a monster season at the plate.
“She has had a great summer with her travel team and is hitting the ball really well,” Darity said. “We have really big expectations for her, and she has them for herself. Personally, seeing her every day and knowing who she is being recruited by, I think she’s the best shortstop in the state of Oklahoma.”
Kierstead moves to centerfield after playing most of her first two seasons at second base.
Her versatility in the field and hitting prowess at the plate makes her one of the top players in the state. She produced a huge sophomore year, hitting a blistering .432 with a .480 on-base percentage. She finished with 19 extra-base hits, including 10 doubles, a team-high seven triples, and two home runs.
“She is just so athletics and so versatile that she is like a Swiss Army Knife for us,” Darity said. “She started in the outfield as a freshman before moving to second base and now where she plays will just depend on who is in the lineup. She can also play third base.
Lexy Kierstead (Jr.) returns as one of the top players in the state, giving the Broncos versatility in the field and a reliable bat at the top of the lineup. (Photo by Ron Lane / Lane Images)
“Her speed, reliability at the plate, and fearless play in the field will be huge for us this season.”
Rylann Beeson (Jr.) has started at first base the last two slow pitch seasons and with graduating senior Emerson Pegram off to college, Beeson takes over the position this fall.
She made 25 plate appearances in 2023, hitting .353 with two doubles. She was a key piece to the last two slow pitch state titles and Darity is excited to have her in the middle of the lineup.
“She does a really good job over there, being a tall kid and a good target for the infielders,” Darity said. “She is great at digging balls on tough throws and should give us good power at the heart of the lineup.”
Bailey Summa (So.) is also expected to see time at first base, third base, and designated hitter. She has impressed Mustang’s coaching staff during the summer and preseason.
Darity says Ady McGavock (So.) has seen a lot of time at third base during preseason scrimmages while Abby Keele (Jr.) looks to take the reins at second base. Keele also provides depth and versatility at the hot corner.
Rylann Beeson (Jr.) is expected to take over at first base after helping lead the Broncos to a pair of slow pitch state titles the last two spring seasons. (Photo by Ron Lane / Lane Images)
“Ady is a kid who since Day 1 hasn’t been afraid of getting dirty and making a play over there,” Darity said. “She has done a really good job of getting used to third base…
“Abbi has a really strong arm and like Lexy, she is really versatile. She can play second, third, and can even go behind the plate and catch.”
Jade Ashbaugh (So.) will get the nod at catcher as spring backstop Nyli Brown (Sr.) enters the fall coming off a summer knee injury. Keele is also expected to help handle Mustang’s pitching staff behind the dish.
“We’re hoping Nyli can get cleared soon and be done rehabbing for her senior season,” Darity said. “We’re looking for Jade to step in and fill that role, which we think she can do really well. We also have Abby and a handful of underclassmen who play that spot.”
Darity says the staff is looking at multiple players in left field and right field, including Natalia Delgado (Sr.), Weslyn McCorvey (Fr.), and Lyla Nichols (Jr.).
“It’s going to come down to who is getting on base consistently,” Darity said. “Natalia has done a great job of doing that in the preseason. Weslyn provides some good athletic ability, a strong arm, and power at the plate. Lyla can play pretty much anywhere in the outfield and is more of a slapper who looks for base hits.”
Dartiy’s coaching staff includes Chris Casarez – who handles offensive play calling – Ashlyn Simmons, Geoffrey Davis, Karis Wehba, and new pitching coach Erin Workman.
Workman, who played for the 1987 Women’s College World Series champion Texas A&M Aggies, has been the head coach at Yukon and Chickasha and provides an expert in pitching mechanics and calling pitches during games.
“We appreciate the job she has done at former schools and her experience.” Darity said of the staff’s newest addition. “She knows our expectations and goals and I love the fact that she can come in and focus in on our pitchers and catchers and make that her baby. She’s great at breaking down mechanics, which is a really big deal for us.
“We’ve elevated Karis from working with the JV and helping fill the void while coach Simmons is away, having given birth right before the season. Coach C (Casarez) has really been impressive in handling our offense and has our complete trust. We’re just excited to get things going.”
Mustang coach Lacy Darity has helped guide the Broncos to four straight playoff appearances in fastpitch and three of the last four state championships in slow pitch. (Photo by Ron Lane / Lane Images)
Mustang opens the regular season and district play on Monday night with a matchup against the Edmond North Huskies at the University of Central Oklahoma. The Broncos continue the week at the 2024 Tuttle Festival on Friday and Saturday, facing off against playoff contenders Choctaw (6A), Perry (3A), Cache (5A), and Tuttle (4A).
The Broncos play in four tournaments this season, including the Tuttle Festival, Southmoore Festival, Choctaw/Carl Albert Festival, and the Northwest Oklahoma City Festival. They compete against Edmond North, Bixby, Jenks, Ponca City, Putnam City West, Muskogee, and Midwest City in 6A District 4.
The team’s first home game is next Monday, Aug. 19, against the Bixby Spartans.
“We intentionally wanted to play a tough schedule,” Darity said. “We may take some lumps early on, but playing those tougher teams and against good competition will have us ready when postseason play comes.
“It’s that time of year and we’re excited to get it going. Same goals, same expectations. These girls are ready to play.”
