For the Westfield softball team there is a huge void to fill and what departed was Division I talent. After years of dominating in the circle, Westfield’s Haleigh Dellow graduated and is now playing NCAA Division I softball, leaving the tall task of finding a replacement.

The three-time OBSERVER/Post-Journal Player of the Year is in her first year away from the Wolverines at George Mason University, which competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference. In her senior season with Westfield, Dellow went 18-2 with eight shutouts and three no-hitters. She recorded a 0.65 earned run average, allowing just 11 earned runs in 118 innings pitched. On top of that she struck out 213 batters while holding opponents to a .109 batting average.

Not only will Westfield miss Dellow in the circle, but the Wolverines are losing their best bat in the lineup. In 84 plate appearances and 75 at-bats, Dellow hit .547 with 14 doubles, a triple and six home runs. She drove in 28 runs while scoring 40. She also just struck out only four times and was perfect in stolen base attempts with 22.

However, it was not just about what talent Dellow brought to the lineup for the Wolverines, but she was also the leader of the program.

OBSERVER File Photo Mackenzie Schumaker

“Definitely missing her leadership just walking in the gym,” said Westfield head coach Shawn Gnadzinski. “We’ve lost that. I think that’s what we’ll miss the most.”

Gnadzinski added: “Her leadership is something we’re lacking right now and I’m not sure if they’re going to get filled. Literally when she walked into the room, all the girls saw how hard she worked. We’re definitely feeling that missing of leadership, for sure.”

Returning eight starters, Westfield has plenty of experience coming back and it will be up to those players as to who will step up as leaders.

“We are returning eight starters from last year,” Gnadzinski stated. “As far as from top to bottom, our depth is strong this year. We have four seniors to help lead the team.”

The four seniors are Tanleigh Bestine, Drew Ernewein, Keara Kincaid and Brynn Ernewein. Replicating the leadership is important, but filling the spot in the circle is paramount and Westfield has two girls eager for the job.

“Eva (Gnadzinski) will take on a prominent role, as well as Mackenzie Schumaker,” Gnadzinski said about his pitchers. “These girls did lead us to third place in the state and fifth in Little League. They are looking forward to their opportunity.”

Both Gnadzinski and Schumaker stepped into the circle last season and saw great results, but now the pressure is on them both to fill Dellow’s shoes.

In her sophomore year, Gnadzinski started twice and picked up a pair of wins while posting a 2.15 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over five appearances. In her freshman year, Schumaker made three appearances in the circle and gave up only two hits to the 16 batters she faced.

“The pitchers stayed back and we’ve been working all week,” Gnadzinski added about his pitchers on spring break. “They’re both going to be used quite a bit.”

Despite losing Dellow, the two-time defending Section VI Class D champion Wolverines bring back several key pieces, including junior catcher Sydney Hotchkiss, to help Gnadzinski and Schumaker from behind the plate.

“A lot of the teams have lost their No. 1 catcher. Our catcher has been starting since eighth grade,” Gnadzinski said about Hotchkiss. “She’s a captain this year and we’re looking for a big year out of her as well to really take control of this pitching class. Defensively, in our league, I feel she’s one of the best, if not the best.”

At the plate, Hotchkiss hit .407 last year and drove in 10 runs, Gnadzinski hit .439 with 28 RBIs, Schumaker hit .435 with 21 RBIs, Bestine hit .425 with 22 RBIs, Kincaid hit .361 with 23 RBIs and sophomore Madyson Burgess hit .321 with 17 RBIs.

Westfield is wasting no time putting its pitchers to the test, and the bats will have to be ready as the Wolverines open at the reigning Class C state champion Gowanda Panthers on Tuesday.

“We’ve had a lot of success the last two seasons,” Gnadzinski said about the Westfield program now jumping back up to Class C. “I’m excited for these girls to come out of that shadow and show they can play as well.”

While it will be Westfield’s first bit of action this year, Gowanda is already off to a 2-0 start. Leading the charge is perhaps the biggest challenge of the year for the Wolverines in Addison Kota.

“I’m excited and I’m nervous, but I feel there’s a lot of pressure on them as the defending state champs,” Gnadzinski said of Gowanda. “I have a lot of respect for Gowanda. I’ve coached Kota for travel and she is, as advertised, one of the best, if not the best in the area.”