The Varsity girls softball team kicked off their season at four o’clock on Tuesday afternoon with a game against the St. Pete Catholic School. Despite all their efforts, the Falcons were unsuccessful, losing 9-1 to the Barons.

Junior Kirsten Samuels, the Falcons’ pitcher, said the game was a good start for the team.

“Considering that we are a young team and it was our first game, I think we did considerably well. We have a lot to work on, but the game was a sign of clear potential for our team, and we are very excited for the rest of the season,” she said.

The Barons scored the first two runs of the game early in the first inning, before they finally struck out. They scored three more runs in the third and fourth innings.

In the fifth inning, a Barons player, who had been marked with three outs by the scorekeepers on both teams, was given an extra bat by the umpire, who claimed she only had two strikes. That hit led to the fourth run of the game for the Barons, who quickly followed up with three more runs in the next couple innings.

The Falcons struggled offensively throughout the game. However, they were able to get a run in the sixth inning when sixth-grader Amy Woodrow ran it in for the score.

Junior Kayla Hayes, who plays first base for the Falcons, said the game was a good opportunity for the team to figure out their strengths and weaknesses.

“I think the team’s defense is much stronger than it was last year, as we were able to hold the other team for a few innings. We just need to work more on our batting, but we’re still a learning team,” she said.

Head Coach Mike Murphy said he was proud of the girls’ hard work, and he believes the team will improve as the season progresses.

“Our season opener showed promising things for our season to come. The Lady Falcons did a nice job of executing a solid small ball game–bunting, slapping, working the count  and stealing. I am very proud of the work ethic, positive attitude and good sportsmanship they display every day,” he said.