It doesn’t take Chesapeake College interim softball coach Danny Stubbs long to go through a roll call of returning players this season.

Stubbs can count them on one hand. It’s as easy as one, two, three, four.

That’s the total number of Skipjacks who are back from last year’s 20-11 team.

Two players highlight the group: Sophomore Hannah Schmitz rose to be the team’s No. 2 pitcher last year while teammate Emily Gunther is a slick-fielding first baseman and standout hitter.

Utility player Brooklyn Stulir and outfielder Mary Valle also return.

Despite the lack of experience, the last Stubbs expects is a drop off in play.

Chesapeake has good enough hitting, pitching and defense to match last year’s success.

And he can’t wait to see how his well-armed pitching staff and talented crop of freshmen that crowd the roster develop.

“I think we will be really solid,” said Stubbs, who replaced Matt Elzey, now an assistant softball coach at Division I University of Southern Mississippi. “This lineup is going to score a lot of runs. I have five or six pitchers and I just have to figure out how to use them.”

The Skipjacks are already showing signs of promise. They’re off to a 2-0 start, having thumped Monroe College–Bronx in both games of a double header in late February.

Stubbs believes more wins will come quickly.

“I think we should at least get off to a 6-0 start,” Stubbs said matter of factly. “And I am pretty sure we can get to about 20 (wins).”

It’s going to be Chesapeake’s pitching that determines how good the Skipjacks can be.

Schmitz could be the team’s ace, or least she’s the leading candidate.

The pitcher has taken a step forward from last season when she posted a 4-4 record with 46 strikeouts in 48 innings. She made eight starts and had 16 appearances.

Schmitz won Chesapeake’s season opener, a 20-3 victory over Monroe College–Bronx. She pitched four innings and struck out seven batters while yielding two hits and an earned run.

“Her strength is her speed,” Stubbs said. “Her fastball has a lot of jump to it. She throws between 60 and 62 miles per hour. She mixes in a good change-up, and the batters always have to think about it. When they see it, it’s usually too late.”

Stulir figures to be the backup. She also excelled against Monroe College-–Bronx, giving up two hits and striking out seven in a five innings during an 11-3 win.

More pitching depth comes from freshmen Emma Beales, Cheyanne Jester and Katelyn Tkach.

“We have five solid pitchers,” said Beales’ father Joseph, a Chesapeake assistant softball coach. “Hannah is a hard thrower, but we have others who have a really screwball, rise ball, curveball or changeup. They present the ball differently. That messes with the eyes of a hitter.”

The pitchers will be working with a catching duo of freshmen Laura Hughes and Erin Bowen.

Coaches Stubbs and Beales love the potential of the lineup.

Gunther leads the lineup after batting .480 last year with 11 doubles and 36 RBIs.

She went 7-for-8 in the double header.

Shortstop Loren Tucker, third baseman Becca Sawyer and infielder Elena Rado add some punch to the offense.

“I have no doubt that we are going to score quite a few runs,” Coach Beales said.