Though the Lakeland Hawks varsity softball team worked hard, they, unfortunately, added two more losses to their record after playing against the Coeur d’Alene Vikings on April 8. 

Lakeland went into the doubleheader with hopes to improve from their 1-3 start to the 2023 spring season. The first game ended with a Vikings 11-5 victory. The second game was 13-6, Vikings. 

Lakeland started off the first game playing tense, which ultimately led to their downfall. They were too quick to get rid of the ball, causing inaccurate throws, which only led to more errors. “We need to work on making everyday throws,” said head coach Dwyane Curry. 

Curry’s squad gave away a few extra bases by not hitting their targets. “We need to be a little smarter,” said sophomore Alexis Hanna. The team not only struggled defensively but also offensively. 

They also seemed to really struggle at the plate. The Vikings promptly got in their heads, which prevented them from success at the plate, but this changed as they entered the second game with more confidence. 

During the second game, Lakeland played much looser, which helped tremendously when at bat. “They really started to hit the ball,” Curry said. 

The team was able to get more people on base, which created an opportunity for Katie Dewey’s grand slam. “It was the biggest hype-up play for our team out of both games,” Hanna said. This was a turning point offensively in the game, which created an overall better game in comparison to the first. “Once we saw we could hit off their pitcher, the fear the girls started with went away,” Curry said. 

Though the team lost both games, they were still able to fall back on one of their biggest qualities: respect for each other. Spirits were high in the dugout and the team was constantly raising each other up despite their teammate’s errors. “We are getting better at being fans of our own team,” Curry added.

Aside from the score, both these games really showed what this Lakeland team has to offer. The mistakes made in these games are things they will learn from and try not to repeat in games against their future competitors. “Our future is very bright,” Curry said.