Naylor's Chelsea Lane pitches to a teammate in a recent practice session. Lane, a junior, had an ERA of just over 1.00 last season. (Alex Abate/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

NAYLOR -- Both the Naylor baseball and softball teams are looking to build on productive seasons last year as they head into the fall.

The baseball team lost in the district final to Winona and the softball squad lost in the district final as well to Oran.

The softball team lost Hailee Deckard and Charissa Bridges but will bring back pitcher Chelsea Lane who will now be a junior for the Lady Eagles. Lane averaged around 10 strikeouts a game and was right over 1.00 in earned run average last season. Lane's battery mate, Courtney Sullivan, will also be back as a senior.

"(Lane) gets ahead of you in the count and then gives you nothing to hit," Naylor softball coach Gene Deckard said. "She is good at throwing locations. She keeps girls off balance with her changeup."

With the departure of the speedy Deckard at the top of the lineup and Bridges at the heart of the order, offense will be rather uncertain heading into play.

"We lost Hailee and that was a couple runs a game right there," Deckard said. "If we can put the ball in play and get on base, we'll be all right."

The Lady Eagles will be tested from the start of the season.

"We are going to start in the North County tournament and we play Kennett," Deckard said. "We may take a few lumps early and it will help us down the road."

John McKinney will be taking over the head coaching duties of the baseball squad just for this fall season while Glen Eubanks will sit out as he is having surgery.

The baseball team is returning three seniors this season. Travis Thomas and Josh Cullison are pitchers and Dustin Hogan is a position player.

"(With) two main pitchers returning, we are looking for leadership out of those guys and I'm sure they will come through with that," McKinney said.

Despite the tough loss in the district final, that postseason run gave the Eagles something to build on for the fall.

"We are pleased with that and how they ended up," McKinney said. "We had it won and ended up letting it go. I reminded them in practice about that."

McKinney is just trying to build on what Eubanks has started with the team.

"Hopefully, we can put our time in and do what we have to do to win some games this fall," McKinney said. "I'll give all the credit to Eubanks. (I'm) trying to keep the ball rolling with what he started."