How two lifelong friends helped turn around the Staunton softball program

STAUNTON — Staunton seniors Savannah Billings and Koral Keehner can feel a different vibe around the dugout than freshman year.

That first year, the Bulldogs collectively struggled in the win column and went 9-14 despite the tandem’s sterling high school debuts. It was a frustrating time for a couple of competitors accustomed to performing at a high level.

“We didn't win a lot,” Keehner recalled.

The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the ensuing season, and then everything changed. Staunton went 14-5 last summer and now sits 13-3 overall heading into the second week of May.

Even this season’s success has largely exceeded these veterans’ expectations with such a young roster that featured just one other senior (Whitney Weller) and no juniors in Wednesday’s starting lineup against Gillespie.

“I feel like this is the first year that we actually really have a chance at doing what we want to,” Keehner said. “It's just fun to go out and kind of just play our game.”

Competitive softball backgrounds

Billings and Keehner first teamed up in fourth grade and for about the past eight years have traveled with the Black Widows out of Edwardsville.

Keehner began catching as early as 9 years old. She initially tried pitching but a clobbered home run “that went forever” quashed those prospects in a hurry.

“Nine-year-old me, I ran away crying,” Keehner said with a laugh. “I was like, 'I'm not pitching again, I'm never pitching again!' And then the catcher happened to be hurt and so I just kind of got thrown back there.”

She found her true home.

“I was just like, 'You know what, I'm done.' And then my parents were like, 'Yeah, we're not paying for (pitching) lessons anymore.' And I was like, 'OK, whatever. I guess I'll just be a catcher and find some gear.'”

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Billings has been a pitcher for about as long, but she prefers shortstop.

She has shouldered nearly triple as many innings as last year. She has tossed 43 1/3 innings with a 1.78 ERA.

She started the season opener against Nokomis but works as a reliever now due to lingering lower back issues since junior high. She is unaffected by the discomfort otherwise.

“I had to throw every game in junior high because that's all we had,” Billings said. “So then after that, I was like done. I threw an inning here and there during the summer, but that was it. Then I came this year and I started the first game and didn't do good at all. I was like, 'Hey coach, I'm never starting again.' I said, 'I'll go in, but I'm never starting again.'

“I haven't started since but I go in almost every game and I do my job and I do what I can to help the team.”

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Billings doesn’t mind throwing to be clear, especially with a catcher like Keehner.

“I just feel like we have a chemistry that's kind of unbeatable because we've known each other for so long,” Keehner said. “I feel like we know each other like inside and out when pitching and stuff. I know what to say when she's down or whatever. It's just nice because we know each other really well.”

Leading the charge

Both Billings and Keehner will play collegiately within the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference at Quincy University and University of Illinois Springfield, respectively.

Both appreciated the smaller campuses and produced gaudy numbers last summer despite a limited schedule. Billings hit a .683 average with seven home runs and 19 doubles. Keehner supplied a .477 average with three homers.

“It's kind of fun, I'm not going to lie” Keehner said of being team leaders, "because I just feel like I have more control and feel like we get a little bit more done. But it's really fun to play with this team. I like them a lot.”

That includes her sister and freshman teammate, Korryn.

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“I'm really excited to see her go through the program, too,” Keehner said. “It's really cool to play with her because she's like my best friend. It's just really cool, so I'm really excited to watch her play.”

Billings also sees a bright future ahead for Staunton.

“I definitely think the program has some potential coming up being so young and having so many talented younger kids,” Billings said. “I'm excited to come back and watch.”

Contact Bill Welt: bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA softball: Savannah Billings, Koral Keehner spark Staunton