YORKTOWN, Ind. — Yorktown softball is teeing off a new season with lots of expectations, but after years of success, senior Caitlin Laferney knows exactly what it will take for her team to reach the heights of previous years.
"We just have to play as a team; it's a team sport, every pitch matters both on the plate and on the mound. So I just think as long as we take it step-by-step, we'll have a lot of success this year," said Laferney.
But with just two seniors this year, Ava McNally knows it's on her and Laferney's shoulders to help their younger teammates play their best.
"Obviously we were in that time at one point. So just bringing them up, uplifting them, making sure everyone has their role and everyone handles it with responsibility," she said.
"We have a very young team so some of the girls are just gonna have to step up and start to be leaders and I think Ava and I will be a good teacher for that. I think we're really good leaders, and we just gotta see them loosen up and have fun on the field," Laferney said
Laferney and McNally are not only great leaders off the field but also stars on it. Head coach Jeremy Penrod has loads of praise for the Yale and Ball State commits.
"Caitlin, we've talked about this time when she was a freshman, her having the ace role, and Ava's expectations of not only her leadership on the field but offensively as well. So we expect a lot out of both of them and we have no doubt we'll get what we're asking for," Penrod said.
The Tigers start their season with a 10-0 win over Elwood in five innings. They hope to keep that momentum for the rest of the season and return to semi-state again.
Contact Aiden Riegle with comments at aiden.riegle@bsu.edu.
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