Coming off of a winning season, the Decatur High School softball team has already swung into the new year.

The team has already obtained a winning record with seven wins and four  losses.

The team just changed classifications from 3A to 5A, so the players will be facing new competition they have never seen before. However, this year’s new opponents don’t phase junior catcher Audrey Wheeler’s confidence in her team.

“We are all physically capable of playing well and winning,” Wheeler said. “But our mental game is what is going to make the difference.”

In a big rivalry game, the lady bulldogs came out on top with a 7-3 win over Westminster. However came up short to last year’s state champs, Blessed Trinity.

Junior Katie Cassidy, who starts at pitcher, believes simple mistakes cost the team the game against Blessed Trinity.

“When we played Westminster, we didn’t have as many errors as we did when we played Blessed Trinity,” Cassidy said. “The errors caused Blessed Trinity to get open runs.”

Last year, the team had a successful run making it to state playoffs but lost in the first round. Since then, the team has lost some key players, but the core team is coming back to play.

Wheeler feels that it’s not just their talent that will take them back to the playoffs.

“All we need to do is stay mentally focused while we’re playing,” Wheeler said. “If we do that, we will have a straight path to state playoffs.”

Cassidy also has high hopes for this season because of the team’s long-lasting dynamic.

“We have played together for many years so we have been able to work together,” she said. We also work on hitting everyday so overall our skills are improving.”

Photos courtesy of Rick Brozek

*Correction, Katie Cassidy starts at pitcher