The Monmouth-Roseville Titan softball team is in the middle of their first year in the Three Rivers Conference this spring. The Titans are in the West Division of the TRAC. A division that includes the defending Class 2A state champs, Rockridge, who have won 44 straight games (7th best in IHSA history); Sherrard, who has a solid history of softball; Orion, who have won a plethora of regional titles in the past couple of decades and Morrison, who won a state title in 2011 and finished 3rd in state as recently as 2017. Monmouth-Roseville is currently (2-7) on the season but have been tied, or even led, in the middle innings of most of those seven losses. The Titans are hoping the tough competition will prepare them for the playoffs in May.
The Monmouth-Roseville softball team only got in one game this past week. The Titans fell to Erie-Prophetstown 16-0 last Thursday night. Monmouth-Roseville faced issues with strong winds and were unable to stop the powerful Panther offense. Head coach Jarrod Hippen would like to see his team begin to finish some of the games that they have the lead.
More weather issues for the Titans, as tonight’s home game against Morrison has been postponed. That would’ve started a run of 8 games in the next days. Of those 8 games, five were scheduled home dates. Monmouth-Roseville will now host Peru-St Bede on Saturday, before traveling to Rockridge on Monday. The Titans will also host Macomb on Tuesday and West Prairie on Wednesday, as they finish the week with a home game against Rockridge on Thursday. The Titans are hoping to find their identity during this busy schedule and see the pitching staff improve overall.
For the entire interview with Hippen, go to our SPORTS PODCAST section.
***Story by Prairie Communications intern, Ben Anderson***
