The Washington fast-pitch softball team began its defense of its Class 3A State title with a 3-2 win over Tuttle on Monday.

The Warriors lost departing seniors Presley Lucas, Kelby Beller, Emersyn Massey, Dorothy Shepard and Julie Hoehner.

That group left some big shoes to fill.

“That was a special group for sure,” said head coach Tylor Lampkin – who enters his sixth year at Washington. “Their leadership kept everything going for our program. After they won State their freshman year people thought we’d fall off. But they won slow-pitch as juniors, then fast-pitch and slow pitch as seniors to go along with basketball and track and everything. It was a special group.”

The good news is the Warriors return a good nucleus of talent, including Ava Salcedo, Bentli Brantley, Isabella Castillo, Kinzlee Pogue, Daphne Palumbo, Raelee Adkins and Hadley Beard

Throw in Jasey Baker in the outfield and a young but experienced pitching staff and the Warriors feel pretty good about where they are to start the season.

“Our depth will be a big thing for us,” Lampkin said. “We have some who have solidly put themselves in the line up but we’ll compete every day.”

Lampkin hopes his defense is stronger this season than it was last year and it will start with his pitching staff.

Sophomores Payton Blackburn and Ellie Musgrove, along with junior Ally Dennis, have all been tested in the fire.

“We feel like we can score runs, we just need to get the defense going,” Lampkin said. “Our pitchers need to get ahead in counts.”

The team captain this season is Raelee Adkins.

“Last year we started a deal where we vote on team captains and this year Raelee got it,” Lampkin said. “We’ll see how she steps into that leadership role.”

Tuttle

Against Tuttle Monday, Blackburn got the nod in the circle.

She struck out six batters in seven innings of work.

Offensively, Pogue was 3-3 while Beard and Lexie Salcedo went 2-3.