Prewitt sisters, Lesleigh and Caitlyn, talk their expectations for Lady Jackets softball in 2018

With head coach Jason Prewitt coming into his fourth year leading the program, the Williamsburg Lady Jackets softball team is looking to continue improving in 2018.

In Coach Prewitt’s first season at the helm (2015), the Lady Jackets won ten games.

That was a big improvement from their two-win season a year before, but still, there was much work to be done.

In 2016, Prewitt and the Lady Jackets improved their overall win record to 16 games, including a 7-0 first round victory over Corbin in that year’s 50th District tournament, and an 11-2 win over Lynn Camp in the 13th Region tourney.

2017 was another successful campaign overall, once again recording 16 wins, but this time Williamsburg failed to make it past the district tournament, losing 9-0 to Corbin and missing out on a repeat appearance on the regional stage.

Now, with the 2018 season about to get underway, the Lady Jackets are hoping to take the next step their progression, beginning with All “A” regional competition against Oneida Baptist Institute on March 19.

Two of the senior players that will be helping lead the charge for Williamsburg softball this spring are Caitlyn and Lesleigh Prewitt, who recently spoke about their hopes and expectations for the months ahead.

“We’re very excited, and ready to get going,” Caitlyn said when asked about the team’s overall feelings on the upcoming season. “I’ve been ready since last season ended. Once we are able to get the entire team together, I think we’re going to do well.”

Several softball players will have to wait until the end of basketball season before they can begin hitting, fielding and throwing with the rest of the team. Those players include seniors Kayla Gibson, Tori Lester and Kelsey Tye. All three of these athletes will also look to play a major role in the Lady Jackets’ success on the diamond in 2018, with Tye once again expected to do the bulk of the work from the pitching circle.

Caitlyn Prewitt said that, while Tye’s pitching ability will be key this season, the Jackets have been working to develop some younger talent as well. She also added that, in order for the team to get to where they want to be come May, they will have to be more consistent at the plate. “We’ll have to get our bats going more than we did last year,” she said.

The vast majority of the training that has taken place recently has been dedicated to getting back into game shape, but that effort has perhaps not been as taxing as in years past for those athletes that participated in Williamsburg’s inaugural volleyball season this past fall.

Both of the Prewitts, as well as several others, were a part of the volleyball Jackets’ history-making first season, and are continuing to reap the benefits of the experience long after the last game was played back in October.

“Volleyball was a lot of fun,” said Lesleigh Prewitt. “It helped us to stay active during the offseason, and it helped us to develop better footwork. In sports, things usually come full circle. You can use the basic skills you learn in one, and almost always apply it to another in some way.”

There will be much work to do between now and Williamsburg’s season opener against OBI in the 2018 All “A” regional tournament, but the Prewitts are hoping that this team will be able to do big things from the outset, saying a trip to this year’s All “A” state tournament is priority number one, followed by a chance to contend for a 50th District championship, and another appearance in the 13th Region tournament later this year.