BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com

The Exeter softball team was pleased with a winning season this spring, but the Lady Tigers are still on the hunt for postseason hardware.

Ashley Fly, Exeter softball coach, said the squad had a fairly good season, improving throughout and peaking in the district tournament, where the Lady Tigers fell to Purdy 5-2 in the Class 1, District 5 title bout.

“We had some close games we wish we could have snagged a win in, but all those games helped in the long run,” Fly said. “That’s what gave us the endurance to get to the district title game.”

Purdy has ousted Exeter in districts the last two years in a row, and it was the second time in the last five years the Lady Eagles defeated the Lady Tigers for a title.

Exeter has played in three district championships since its first in 2021 — and the goal remains the same every year, to win one.

“We put a lot of things together at the end of the season; we just didn’t have enough time,” Fly said. “This group of seniors was the first to make a district championship as freshmen, so it was bittersweet to make it back and take second again.”

Fly said defensively, the Lady Tigers steadily improved all year, but room for improvement still exists.

“Toward the end, we were playing decent defense,” she said. “We want to keep improving there. Our offense hit well overall this season, but we were either on fire or couldn’t hit. So, we’ll need more consistency there.”

Fly said at districts was when Exeter played its best ball.

“Our offense and defense played well, and we could have handled the championship differently, but it was an exciting game,” she said.

Exeter’s season began with a sweep of the Verona Invitational, outscoring all three opponents by a combined 41 runs to none. A three-game win streak graced the middle of the season, and the Lady Tigers were on a five-game run when they met Purdy in the district championship.

Fly said her upperclassmen, with their experience, played a big role in the season’s outcome.

“These seniors played all four years and helped push us to a different level,” Fly said. “They have all contributed greatly to the program and made lasting impacts on others, on the community and on our younger generation of softball players.”

Fly said those younger players also made their impacts this season.

“Our underclassmen meant quite a bit to this team,” she said. “They got a taste of what it takes to win and to make a championship, and we hope they put that growth toward goal of winning that district title we’ve not been able to capture.

“Our overall goal is to win a championship. It’s a process, win or lose from the beginning, to prepare us for districts. The only thing we haven’t done is clinched a championship.”