This North Callaway softball core has made a difference since it debuted.

From eight wins to 14 wins and then 21 wins a season ago, the Ladybirds expect to have another exciting season. North Callaway won at least 20 games for the first time in seven years and were eliminated in the district semifinals 3-0 by Class 3 runner-up Centralia.

Head coach Mariah McKee said North Callaway will be starting this year with the news that senior all-district outfielder Ella Slater will be out for the season with a torn ACL. All-state outfielder Kymorie Myers and all-conference and all-district infielder Liv Knoepflein will be seniors who will lead a still talented group of 19 girls.

“They are good athletes and really talented girls,” McKee said. “We have a lot of seniors and juniors playing. I do have a lot of girls with varsity experience so that will help leadership-wise.”

Slater hit six home runs a season ago, but Myers hit a team-high seven home runs last year and will be the biggest threat in the middle of the Ladybird lineup. Behind her in production were juniors Megan Schmidt and Kendra Pennell. 

North Callaway’s offense averaged 7.4 runs per game each of the previous two seasons and should have some power in the lineup yet again. McKee said it also has some speed with junior Mady Gordon returning.

“Offense one through five hit the ball pretty hard,” McKee said. “Hopefully we can get some small ball in there. We’re going to really focus on bunting and getting the bottom of the lineup going, putting some pressure on the defense.”

Schmidt was an all-conference, all-district and all-region pitcher after finishing with a 2.12 ERA and striking out 134 in a little more than 95 innings.

“(Schmidt has) gotten so much stronger this summer,” McKee said. “She’s really starting to throw hard and being able to work batters and work counts.”

Knoepflein also has multiple years of varsity pitching experience. McKee said sophomore Jocelyn Siegel and freshman Abria Olsson will fill out the pitching staff. She said Siegel and Olsson will need outings at junior varsity but should be able to provide innings whenever North Callaway goes to tournaments or during busy weeks.

McKee said there are question marks at some positions vacated by graduation but is confident she can find some answers among the six freshmen and three sophomores. 

“I did have some seniors who were vital like first baseman, second baseman and catcher,” McKee said. “We’re trying to figure out those pieces, but I think we’ll be fine. I’ve got some young ones.”

Nine of North Callaway’s 13 losses last year were decided by five runs or fewer and four were decided by two runs or fewer. The Ladybirds had an eventful season and could have an even better one this year.

“It’s a mental game,” McKee said. “They get in those situations and think, ‘Oh man, they’re really good.’ Yeah, but we’re really good. We believe in them. It’s giving them the confidence that they need and showing them that people are like, ‘I don’t know if I want to play them.’ Sometimes, I don’t think they realize that.”