Courtesy of Lane Athletics
The 2022 edition of the Lane College softball team set out with a few goals according to Head Coach Joel Worthington. Mostly, they wanted to be record-setters.
The team did just that, shattering 14 school records and setting countless individual marks as well. Perhaps most impressively, the Dragons led the nation in batting average, hitting .420 as a team on the year. The most important to Worthington – the school records for wins in a season.
“We wanted to prove that Lane College was a place where winning softball could be played,” said the first-year head coach. “Now our goal is to prove that it can be done on a consistent basis. This year was about laying a foundation. We wanted to instill in our players what it took to be successful; how winning was a by-product of doing all the little things the right way.”
The Dragons got off to a hot start, going 7-0 to start the season. The young team hit a skid at the midway point of the season and that is where Worthington said the team really showed who they were.
“It’s easy for everyone to be on one accord when you’re winning. The true testament of a team is how you respond to adversity. We had one senior who was an everyday starter on this team. Most days our lineup included six and sometimes seven first year college players. You’re going to face growing pains when there is that much youth on the team. But, they rallied when it mattered most and closed out the season in tremendous fashion.”
Lane ended the season going 13-1 in their final 14 games. The Dragons were ranked first or second in the conference in 19 categories. They set the following school records:
| Wins | 26 |
| Batting Average | .420 |
| Runs | 333 |
| Hits | 488 |
| Doubles | 80 |
| Triples | 16 |
| RBI | 306 |
| Total Bases | 627 |
| Slugging % | .539 |
| Base on Balls | 116 |
| Hit By Pitch | 39 |
| On Base % | .481 |
| Stolen Bases | 116 |
