Lansing softball 2025 preview: new coach, strong junior core

As the calendar flips to April, that can only mean one thing: the start of the Section IV spring season. Many teams around the county have high hopes heading into a new campaign, and the Lansing softball team is aiming to build upon a successful 2024 season with a familiar face as its new head coach.

Mike Lockwood takes the reins after coaching the modified team since the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently the junior varsity team. Lockwood has coached virtually every player on the Bobcats at some point in their careers, and that will undoubtedly help them get the season off and running without a hitch.

“I think it’s huge,” Lockwood said. “Not only do they understand what I’m trying to get them to do and understand how the game should be played, I know their capabilities. I know their abilities. I know how far to push them individually and as a team. I think that’s pretty big too to watch them grow and know, ‘I know you can do better, and I’m going to push you a little further.’ I know when to stop, when it’s going to be too much, and to get them to get to the best they can out of each other and on the team.”

Before coaching in Lansing, Lockwood was an integral part of Groton youth sports, coaching multiple teams and helping run the town’s youth baseball and softball committee. He expressed gratitude to Lansing for welcoming him in with open arms.

“I am very happy that the Lansing sports community has been so accepting of me coming in and working with them,” Lockwood said. “Their support has meant a lot to me and helps drive me to work hard for the players.”

With every new coach comes a new identity. The theme for this year’s team is sacrifice, and one player who has embodied that is pitcher Piper Mason. The junior is coming off a phenomenal sophomore campaign, recording a 2.96 ERA and 103 strikeouts while earning IAC First Team All-Star honors. After pitching in all but three games last year and racking up over 92 innings in the circle, she’s more than willing to take on a lighter workload for the betterment of the team.

“She’s a workhorse, and she will do anything you asked her to do,” Lockwood said. “We’ve had a couple conversations already, and I said ‘I don’t necessarily want to have to have you pitch every end of every game. We got some girls that can pitch in some of these games that may not be as competitive. We can give you a break.’ And she’s like, ‘I’m okay with that. That’s okay. I’ll do that.’ She’s just an absolute class act.”

Marissa Nolan is the Bobcats’ top returning hitter. Another reigning IAC First Team All-Star, the junior was third on the team with a .432 batting average and a .554 on-base percentage. Her versatility will also be key this year, having played in the infield and outfield.

“She hits, she gets on base, and I can put her in a lot of positions and she can do it,” Lockwood said. “She’s just a natural athlete. What I recognized about her all the way back in seventh grade, I said to her, ‘You might be one of the smartest base runners I’ve ever seen for a seventh grader.’ Her IQ of the game was just so high. It was just fun to watch, and it hasn’t slowed down.”

The final returning IAC All-Star is another junior. Anya Godert locked things down at first base in her first full year on the varsity team and is now locking in on improving her hitting this season.

“Anya’s another player that is willing to sacrifice that just does whatever you ask her to do,” Lockwood said. “I think her big thing this year is getting her more comfortable at the plate. I’ve seen it already. She settled in. I think last year as a starting sophomore might have been kind of a little intimidating for some of these players. But for her, it’s just making sure to let her know and to show her what you’re capable of. Her bat has really come alive a lot in these practices. It’s been fun to watch.”

While the Bobcats graduated a trio of all-stars—third baseman and division MVP Brooklyn Walker, catcher Izzy Gustafson, and shortstop Lindsey Fish—they’ve been replenished with some sophomore talent that helped the JV team win the IAC championship last year. Liana Newman will operate behind the plate, Esme Kennedy-Smith will bring some power to the lineup, and Aeron Jensen-Hedrick will bring a valuable glove to the infield.

For this season and the years to come, the Bobcats are aiming to add to the banners proudly displayed in the Lansing gymnasium. After all, it’s been 26 years since their last IAC championship and 27 years since their last Section IV title.

“We want to have a program that is competitive [that] the girls are excited to play in, and maybe we start changing some of those numbers,” Lockwood said.