Suire: BRCC freshman class could be exceptional

BATON ROUGE – A pair of North Vermilion High School softball players were among the 14 added to the Baton Rouge Community College freshman class this year.
The Class of 2023 has the potential to be exceptional for the BRCC softball program, according to head coach Mark Suire, a native of Abbeville who coached the Lady Wildcats for six seasons and won a state championship in 2008 during a 12-year stint as head coach at Delcambre.
Pitcher Ashton Duhon and infielder Kenndey Kelly are two of the players in that freshman class.
The group consists of talented pitchers in Olivia Burns (Benton), Maddie Robinson (Natchitoches), Essynce Wallace (Farmerville), Ashton Duhon (Abbeville) and Bailey Smith (Youngsville). All five are expected to contribute in the circle, and could also contribute as infielders when not in the circle.
They will be joined by infielders Keesley Ross (Caldwell), Eve Fruge’ (Denham Springs), Mary Wicke (Grand Lake), Ashlyn Hebert (Scott), Kennedy Kelly (Maurice) and Morgan “Meaux” Carroll (Benton). Outfielders include Desi Robinson (Natchitoches) and Karli Bourg (Luling). Lily Wainwright (West Monroe) rounds out the recruiting class and is the lone catcher of the group.
“The recruiting class that we have assembled this year will bring a wealth of softball potential and athleticism to add to the talented group that we will return,” said Suire, who, along with assistant coach Aeriyl Mass, have spent countless hours putting this class together. The staff believes that they have been able to address specific needs to build a successful program at BRCC.
“We’ve definitely got some work to do, but we believe that this class could play a big role in moving the softball program in the right direction,” Suire said.
According to Suire, pitching was the first item of business for his first recruiting class.
“With only one experienced pitcher returning this year, it was imperative that we find pitchers who could fill the role and also bring their own unique qualities to the team,” he said. “The five pitchers in this class all bring something a little different to the table. All are very capable of succeeding and each brings a different dynamic.
“Olivia is a hard worker and brings a winning mindset to the circle. Maddie has shown significant improvement over the past couple of years and has truly developed into a pitcher rather than just a thrower. Essynce has a lot of upside and could develop into a power pitcher — something the program has lacked. Ashton and Bailey will also add depth and will rely more on their spin and location.”
With the addition of five new faces in the circle, the Bears have also added a talented catcher in Wainwright, who should compete for time with two returners at that position.
The strength of the team could very well lie in the talented group of infielders that has been assembled. Ross, a shortstop from Caldwell Parish High School, is athletic and capable of providing solid defensive play as well as power in the lineup. Fruge’, who hails from Denham Springs High School, is athletic and will be a viable option at multiple positions. Meaux and Kennedy are both true utility players, and could also see time in the outfield if the need arises. Hebert, an Acadiana High School product, has improved tremendously and gotten stronger over the past year and could be a good fit at first base. Wicke is an athletic corner infielder, who could see time at both first and third base.
“The infielders in this class provide us with a lot of options, as most can play multiple positions on the infield,” Suire said. “There should be great competition for playing time among the infielders, who could be the cornerstone of the program for the next couple of years.”
The two outfielders in the recruiting class should add athleticism to the team. Karli Bourg, who played for an outstanding Hahnville High School program, is a great fit and welcome addition. Left handed hitter Desi Robinson, who exhibits lots of athleticism, is expected to make a case for herself as a starter in the outfield — and also excels at first base.
“The great thing about the players we have added is that they are a versatile group that will afford us the opportunity to have the best nine players on the field,” Suire said.
“There is a good mixture of speed, power, and softball IQ within this group. In addition, we believe that every player in this group is not only a good softball player, but a quality human being as well. Those are the type of people we want to build a successful program with at BRCC. At the end of the day, we want student-athletes who want to win on the field, in the classroom, and in the community – and I think we have that with this group.”