Community R-6 softball had several players that were key during last year’s historic season.

The Lady Trojans finished with a school-record 22-10 season and then lost multiple hitters to graduation but have seen some fill in those holes in the summer. Community had a winning record through its eight scrimmage games, including a lopsided 11-1 victory at home against Hannibal on Thursday.

“We’ve had an opportunity to see some players step up hitting-wise,” head coach Kendra Murphy said. “That’s a big concern for us.”

Paige Painter made several postseason award teams for the Lady Trojans, including all-state, and others who earned recognition multiple times were Brooklynn Glasgow, Alyssa Beamer and Jocelyn Curtis. Taylor Johnson is another senior who graduated from Community, making it four starters that the team lost.

Curtis is the only one of the group returning this season and is expected to be Community’s No. 1 pitcher. Murphy said freshman Myla Carroll has impressed during the summer as another arm that can back up Curtis and has also hit, as evidenced from her home run against Hannibal.

“Getting some of the younger girls to step into roles where they are producing, we’re getting there,” Murphy said. “We’ve spent quite a few hours working on hitting the last couple weeks. We did a good job of putting balls in play hard.

“Myla is pitching really well this summer. Myla’s going to throw in a lot of games. She’s kept us in every game she’s thrown in so that’s exciting. Her and I have spent a lot of time on her hitting. That was definitely something that she came to us with when we started this summer, saying she needed to improve on.”

Chloe Johnson was more of a “role player” for the Lady Trojans last year, Murphy said, as she was expected to put down bunts and be a contact player. She said Johnson and Peyton Schafer have stepped up this summer as well and will need to continue that during the fall season to be bigger run producers.

“We’re going to look to (Johnson) to drive in a lot more runs than she did last year,” Murphy said. “Peyton Schafer is another one that is going to have to step into more of an RBI-getter role  and not just bunt here and there and get on base. Amy (McCurdy) and J(ocelyn Curtis) still are in the middle of the lineup like we did last year. They’re playing pretty much the same roles that they did.”

While Community has looked good so far, Murphy cautions the roster will have to be figured out a bit more before the first game, which is fine since there is still some time.

“We’re just trying to put the pieces together on defense,” Murphy said. “We know what nine will start. We just don’t know what positions they’re going to start in yet.”