On the heels of last year's 7-38 season, Lincoln softball coach Nicole Stacey knew some things had to change.
As the 2015 campaign begins today, the team's come a long way since a season-ending loss last April 26.
"After last year, I cleaned up," Stacey said. "I went after girls that want to be here, who love the game, and most of all, are athletic.
"That hurt us a lot last year. Now we've got probably got the most athletic team, up and down, that I've had. It's endurance, it's overall skill. Usually you have a few kids that are always holding a team back, but now we've got a good dynamic."
This year's team boasts five returners and seven newcomers, which is another reason why it's good this squad is very athletic.
"We started practice with more players, but we had some quit because they just couldn't handle it, one not make it because of academics, and one had surgery," Stacey said, noting the Blue Tigers have been down this road before. "It's nothing new, even my returners were like, "We've been here before, coach.'
"When it first happens and you lose some players, you panic. It's, "How can I maneuver this to make this work?' But having a group of athletic girls makes that so much easier.
"It's not the number I'd like to be at, I would have liked to be at 15, but it is what it is."
Even with a hit to the team's depth, the Blue Tigers have a lot more pitchers this time around.
"Last year taught me a lot - I wasn't going to get put in that spot again of just having one and a half pitchers at times, and sometimes it was just one," Stacey said. "I started off this year with five, so I was super excited. But things change and now we're down to four, but that's a lot better than one.
"And it's four who can make a difference, whether it's an inning here or seven innings there. It's exciting for the returners to see, because nobody wanted to have a year like last year again."
This year begins with Lincoln playing five games during the next three days at the Ronnie Hawkins Invitational in Arkadelphia, Ark. The Blue Tigers will be going in a little better prepared than for openers in recent memory.
"This was the most in my head-coaching career we've been outside in January," Stacey said. "Which is good, because the girls hate the indoors, it gets boring. This has been a blessing - I hope February doesn't have something planned for us."
Practice started Jan. 11 and Lincoln has been outside so much it's no longer become noteworthy.
"I don't even know how many days we've been outside - more than I can count right now," Stacey said. "So that's good.
"Being on the dirt, going over plays and situations, and having the room to do it, is good. We've been working on pop flies, where most of the past years we didn't get pop flies until we left. I wish we could have had a couple more days this week where we could have gotten on the dirt, but I'm thankful for what we've had so far."
Stacey said this year, the offense will have a different look to it.
"In the past, we've concentrated a lot on power hitting, and now it's not so important," she said. "We have power hitters, don't get me wrong, but it's more seeing the ball and making contact with the ball.
"We have a lot more options. We would get to the 6 through 9 hitters and we didn't know who would hit half the time. Now I don't feel like that."
Heading up the offense is senior Sam Kircher, who led the Blue Tigers in virtually every statistical category last year, including average (.370), hits (47), runs (23), doubles (9), triples (2), home runs (10) and RBI (22).
"She's a big player for us," Stacey said, "You're going to see her behind the plate now. She was a catcher before coming here, and I loved her as a shortstop and she did great there, but now she is going back to catcher."
Kircher will hit in the third spot in the lineup behind leadoff hitter Megan Heimbaugh, a sophomore who will play shortstop, and junior Spencer Silva, who will split time at third base and pitcher.
"Spencer is going to be a great hitter for us," Stacey said.
Others who will see time in the circle are freshman Madison Ragar, junior Lauren Stamp and sophomore Macie Kinsey.
"Madison did an outstanding job for us in the fall, I'm really excited about her," Stacey said. "She just has that mental toughness out on the mound, but also that fun, dingy side as a freshman. She's going to be a fighter.
"Lauren is going to be very effective, she's very different from Madison, so we have that contrast with speed and movement. Lauren is also a big hitter who will be playing a little bit of third when Spencer is pitching. But Lauren's definitely going to be in the lineup with her hitting."
Jessica Wolken, a junior, is another player on the move, as she's going from third base to second.
"Jessica's done a great job so far moving over to second," Stacey said.
Kinsey is in the mix at first base with freshman Avery Myers, who is also the backup at second base, catcher and outfield.
Kassidey Borland and Allyson Corry, both seniors, will play in the outfield.
"Kassidey got more and more confident as the year went on last year," Stacey said. "Allyson Corry is just consistent, she is someone you can rely on. She has a good at-bat every time and battles in there."
Madison Gooden, a sophomore who pitched and played outfield and played first last year, will limit that to just first base and outfield this time around, while freshman Danielle Vaught is a walk-on utility player.
The Blue Tigers' schedule has a bit of a different look this season, with the notable difference being a lot more home games.
"I'm definitely excited, it's a lot less driving for me," Stacey said with a laugh. "And to have that hometown support is nice. Lincoln is changing - all the kids are starting to come out and be behind each other. You saw a little bit of that last year, and it's fun to watch."
The schedule has changed in another way, too.
"I, as a coach, was trying to go too fast for where we're at," Stacey said. "This year I really tried to concentrate on staying at home more, playing more teams I've seen before, instead of going to play these big dogs everywhere else. I want us to build confidence. I was playing a schedule we weren't prepared for."