The girls softball team has seen a significant improvement since years past, junior third base and catcher Jasmine Zenk confirmed.

The team has won a total of five games, giving them a 5-1 record for the season. Zenk attributed this success to the team working together more and becoming closer, able to identify one another’s strengths and weaknesses. She also said coach Shannon Rasmussen has helped the team, being more laid back and not as strict, but instead favoring the team is happy and having a good time at each game. Co-captain and senior Gabby Calhoun mentioned that the team really behaves more like friends than they do strictly teammates this year.

The practices have also been laid-back but at the same time aggressive, according to Zenk. There’s no specific structure so the team isn’t bound to a monotonous practice, but each player knows their own strengths and weaknesses and knows what they need to do in order to improve. Furthermore, the team practices in preparation for each game. For example, if they know the opposing team throws slow pitches, their coach and pitchers will throw slower in order to gain experience for the upcoming game.

The last game, a home game against Everett High School on Tuesday, they won 8-3 after freshman utility Jenna Maxfield hit a triple and co-captain and senior Kira Doan pitched for seven straight innings.ƒfr

Zenk and Calhoun agreed that the team will most likely go to the state competition this year. They have about 11 games until district competition, then they’re required to win two games in districts until state.

As for preparation, Zenk said the team will try to work through each game and stay positive.

The next softball game is scheduled for tomorrow at Oak Harbor at 4 p.m.