Staff file photo / Brian Yauger. Maplewood’s Addison Marker fires a pitch during a contest against Mathews last season. Marker returns to the Rockets’ lineup in 2026.

Last season, Maplewood put the area on notice. Adding 10 wins to its win total from the year prior, the Rockets finished the season with a 21-5 mark and a runner-up finish in both the league and district.

Returning nine letterwinners from last year, including star sophomore duo Addison Marker (first-team all-Ohio) and Claire Urchek (second-team all-Ohio), Maplewood has loftier goals in its 2026 campaign.

“Last year, we lost the district final in a game that I thought we could have and probably should have won,” third-year coach Jessica Urchek said. “Our goals for this season are obviously to advance past the district, get into the regionals, and from there, it’s anybody’s game. Obviously, the goals are really big, but we want to get out of districts, make it to regionals, and we want to contend for the NAC championship this year also.

“I think just playing on that big stage (last year), and having such great overlap in my athletes, is preparing them for this. Our girls cross country team went to state. I had a golfer qualify for regionals, and then obviously our basketball team played in the regional final. They’re going to be used to playing on that stage, and it’s not going to be such a shock when they get there this time.”

With the roster the Rockets boast this year, it’s hard to argue with the team’s expectations.

It all starts in the circle, and Maplewood has one of the area’s best in Marker, who sat 209 hitters down last season, finishing with a 1.53 ERA.

“Everybody found out who she was last year,” Urchek said. “She increased her velocity, increased her spin, and put a lot of time in a lot of games from last May to now. She’s ready to take that next step.”

Also entering the circle this year is freshman pitcher Lexi Yannucci. Urchek expects the pair to be one of the better duos in the area. While they share a pitching coach and are similar in style, each brings their own flavor.

“They’re gonna battle it out for innings, but it’s a nice duo to have,” Urcheck said. “Addy has an upward spin, whereas Lexi goes more with a downward spin. They are two different pitchers, but both throw with a lot of speed.”

Marker (.462 batting average, 34 RBIs, 5 home runs), Claire Urchek (.557 BA, 39 hits, 14 stolen bases) and Lauran Krieg (.403 BA, 19 RBIs), the team’s top three hitters from last season, all return to the lineup. Senior Raegan Krieg, a Malone commit, and juniors Ava Calvert, Katie Wear and Aleesia Woomer are also returning. Expect to see more from sophomores Samantha Krieg and Paige Clower in 2026, as well.

While the Rockets have bumped their schedule up this season — with games against Girard, Mineral Ridge, Crestview and Gilmour Academy on the slate this year — finding a balance was the key. The NAC schedule will have its challenges as well in Chalker, Pymatuning Valley, Bristol and the ever-present Mathews.

“It’s a catch 22 in Division VII,” Urchek said. “Sometimes bumping it up and seeing that faster pitching is great, but sometimes, like last year, that’s not what you see. It’s a hard middle-man to fill. You want to see all different speeds.”

Urchek has been coaching most of these girls for most of their lives, and the team is eager to show the results of the work they’ve put in over the years.

“We’ve been preparing for this since a lot of these girls were five. We’ve been working toward this,” Urchek said. “I’ve had the same team for probably 10 years now. We’ve played in a lot of competitive leagues and tournaments. My pitchers have gotten a lot of work from their instructors in the off season. I have six or seven girls that go to private batting lessons, so we’re relying on some individual work, obviously, but we’ve also been preparing for this as a team for a lot of years.”

Maplewood opens the season up with a doubleheader against Geneva on Saturday.