Though not one pitch has been officially thrown in the 2026 softball season, El Reno High School head coach Bri Michalicka enters her third season at the helm with a different sense of excitement.

“This is the most ready I've ever felt going into season. The girls this summer and all of these scrimmages that we've had, they have played really good softball. It's not only that we're hitting the ball and we're striking it well, we're also doing all the right things.

“It's executing small ball things like bunts, getting the extra base, backing up plays. The littlest things that we haven't done well in the past so we're really excited,” said Michalicka.
El Reno is 6-0-2 through its first eight preseason outings with wins over Tecumseh (12-7), Elk City (11-7), Bristow (4-1), Minco (9-5), Sterling (3-2) and Amber-Pocasset (12-5). There were 2-all stalemates with Choctaw's junior varsity and Weatherford.

Despite the fast preseason start, Michalicka is still guarded about giving any predictions as to where the season might take the Indians. El Reno is 28-33 in two seasons under Michalicka, with 15 of those wins coming in her first season, which ended in the regional championship round with a loss to Guthrie.

Last year, El Reno went 13-18 with back-to-back losses to Lawton MacArthur in regional play. 

“I would say cautiously excited. I'm confident in our girls and the abilities that they have in executing the way that they need to in order to be successful.

“I'm ready to go, but I know that we've got a long and hard road coming, but the girls are ready for it,” said Michalicka.

In order to build off the preseason success, Michalicka has crafted the 2026 schedule to push back the start of District 5A-2 play until Aug. 25 against Santa Fe South.

El Reno kicks off the season Monday at home with Edmond Santa Fe and visits Putnam City North on Tuesday. The Indians will have five head-to-head dates and the Hall of Fame Festival before starting league play, which is used to determine playoff seedings.

“We still have plenty of things to work on and the girls have been really breaking down softball at practice, and working on the little things that can go wrong and we need to make them perfect.

“Our schedule gives us an extra 15 to 17 days to really master things before we start playing those highly competitive teams when the games really count,” said Michalicka.

Being competitive in close games and not giving up when down on the scoreboard, like a 2-0 hole at Weatherford, is what Michalicka says has been the highlight of the preseason.

“The best thing that we've done so far is situational hitting and having those quality at bats even when we are in those tough situations. You'll hear me say it all season long is that we need to have a good at bats.

“If they focus on having a good at bat instead of thinking, 'I need to get up there and swing,' they will hit the ball. It's a different approach and it makes them more selfless,” said Michalicka.

El Reno is hitting .410 (71-of-173) through the eight preseason games with 25 extra base hits. Nineteen of those are doubles, led by Jordyn Littlebird and Zoey Pawnee with four each. Shakayla Johnson, Addilinn Johnson-Trumbley and Lily Arnold have two doubles each.

Johnson-Trumbley has two of the team's four triples, while Johnson and Pawnee have one triple each. Taylor Acosta and Johnson have logged a homer each.

Johnson leads all batters in the preseason with an 11-of-18 (.611) effort with nine runs batted in and six more scored. Pawnee and Johnson-Trumbley have nine hits each and combined for 18 runs and eight RBIs.

Acosta and Daisy Hall are close behind with eight hits each and Lexi Porter with seven. El Reno has drawn an extra 13 base runners by walks but have struck out 36 times.

“We really didn't lose a lot of bats from last year. I feel like they just finally have that confidence and we've got some that it's their senior year so they're taking charge.

“We have juniors that are stepping up and we have sophomores that are leading the team,” said Michalicka.

Pitching depth remains a concern as Michalicka will have to lean on Pawnee, a sophomore, until Acosta recovers more from her shoulder injury.

“I've been working with her (Taylor) a lot behind the scenes. She's still throwing but she's coming back from a shoulder injury and just kind of a mental thing. She's pushing through it and she's throwing well.

“I think Taylor's going to be a great closer. Something like three innings or less, because she has so much shoulder pain,” said Michalicka.

Pawnee led the team in innings as a freshman and has thrown 15 2/3 innings this fall in four appearances – three of those starts. She has faced 65 batters and thrown 223 pitches leading to a line of 18 strikeouts, 16 hits, eight runs and five walks. She sits with a 3.12 earned run average.

Freshman Kylie Mann is 2-0 in the preseason with a 3.50 ERA over 10 innings. She has a line of 14 walks, 10 hits, nine runs and two strikeouts. Kira Thunderbull is also expected to factor into the depth chart.

“Kylie has stepped up with a nice little drop ball and will help us. Zoey spins the ball really well and she spots the ball really well, and that's why she's been successful,” said Michalicka.

El Reno's defense has been solid with a .947 average after 78 put-outs and 12 assists in 95 chances against five errors. Arnold leads in put-outs with 20, followed by Acosta with 12 and seven each from Littlebird and Pawnee.

“I've seen so much change in these girls that I'm finally starting to see their work and their hard work just pay off,” said Michalicka.