Waynesboro and Carlisle’s softball teams both have high hopes for the 2026 season.
The Maidens return several big bats in their lineup, while the Thundering Herd are hoping to continue their momentum after qualifying for the District 3-6A postseason last spring.
These teams will get test their skills when they meet on Friday in a contest we’ve deemed as our Game of the Week.
Carlisle got the best of Waynesboro in last year’s game, but three heavy-hitting Maidens — Lydia Shank, Haley Reynolds, and Emma Bradley — are eager to put their team back in the win column. The Herd graduated their entire pitching staff, but should be competitive with a batting lineup dotted with returning veterans.
Buckle up.
In the weeks and months to come throughout the high school sports season, we plan on spotlighting multiple teams and sports with our Game of the Week. Any big upcoming contests we should know about? Send suggestions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Waynesboro at Carlisle
First pitch: Friday, 4:15 p.m., at Carlisle
Records: Waynesboro is 0-1, while Carlisle checks in at 0-0.
Last season: Carlisle went 13-7 and qualified for the District 3-6A playoffs. Waynesboro posted a 6-13 mark.
Last meeting: The Herd topped the Maidens, 8-4, in last season’s matchup.
Meet the Thundering Herd: Coach Laura Keim’s group embarks on the 2026 season with a group that will look a little different from the one that posted a winning record and went to the district playoffs last spring … The best player on that team — Mid-Penn Keystone Player of the Year Alexis Kline — has been lost to graduation. Kline struck out 101 batters from the pitcher’s circle, and at the plate, she batted .534 with 11 home runs … Two other All-Keystone selections, Molly Renninger (2nd Team) and Callie Culbertson (3rd), have also graduated. Renninger batted .343 with 10 extra-base hits and was Carlisle’s No. 2 pitcher, while Culbertson posted a .339 batting average … Throw in the losses of Sammie Knisely (.327) and Bennett Flemmer (.200), and it’s clear the Thundering Herd have some holes to fill … Look for Carlisle to lean on two Keystone Second Teamers, Mackenzie Lilley and Summer Kunza, to carry the load while the team hammers out its lineup … Lilley, a senior outfielder, batted .397 last season with 12 extra-base hits, 16 runs, 17 RBI, and two stolen bases … Kunza, a junior catcher, has been a starter since her freshman season. She batted .362 last spring with nine doubles, 19 runs, 10 RBI, and three stolen bases … Carlisle brings back a number of others with varsity experience, including Jayde Wilson (.190, 10 RBI), Averie Redding (.185), Freddie Henson (.167), and Emerson Wagner (.100) … Olivia Naylor, a highly-touted freshman who can play multiple positions, including pitcher, will have a say in the final outcome.
Meet the Maidens: With a solid group of returning players, Waynesboro has been chomping at the bit to get back on the softball field … Coach Troy Witte’s Maidens will be led into competition by senior captains Lydia Shank and Haley Reynolds … Shank, a Mid-Penn Colonial Second Team selection at catcher and first base, is coming off a 2025 season that saw her bat .418 with three home runs … Reynolds also carries a big bat, which she put on full display last year when she batted .361 with four doubles and one home run … Another senior, Emma Bradley, will be looking to build off an 11th-grade season that saw her erupt for a .463 batting average with 12 extra-base hits, 27 runs, 22 RBI, and 15 stolen bases … If you’re looking for a break in this Waynesboro batting lineup, you’re not going to find it, as Abby Byers (.268, 8 runs, 8 RBI) and Rylee Miller (.226, 4 extra-base hits, 14 RBI) will both provide protection for the big boppers … The Maidens might have to try outslug Carlisle as they’ve graduated Alexis Thompson and Riley Shetler, two valuable pitchers who combined for nearly 70 innings of work last spring … Waynesboro’s most experienced pitcher is Bradley, who won three games and posted a 5.63 ERA, while striking out 24 batters over 41 innings … It’s a long season, but a win over the Thundering Herd would give Waynesboro a head start on its goal to qualify for the District 3 postseason for the first time since 2022.
Sandrik’s pick: Maidens by 2.
