FRANKLIN
Since the first game of the season, Franklin High School Broncos softball coach Angel Cashwell said she can see a big difference.

“We still have a ways to go, but we are no where near where we were at the beginning of the season,” she said. “If we continue to play the way we are playing, I think we can start winning some games. I think we can start seeing some more outstanding plays.

“I can see the confidence in the girls starting to build up.”

The team’s still young, and most of them haven’t been playing softball for long. But it’s all about building up.

“We’re still building the program,” Cashwell said. “This makes my fourth year here. Compared to where we were my first year, I’ve seen a vast improvement.”

So far, the team is 0-7 on the season heading into a Thursday game at Southampton, which ended after the sports deadline. The scores have been lopsided, having lost to Surry, Park View, Sussex, Brunswick, Arcadia twice and Windsor, but the Lady Broncos have started to put in some runs and have improved on defense.

“We had a lot of girls who came out to play for the first time last year,” Cashwell said. “A lot of those girls returned this year, as well as bring their classmates out to play.”

In 2014, the team didn’t pick up any wins, but the coach is hoping to change that this year.

“They are starting to come together as team players, they are having fun and they are starting to learn the knowledge of the game,” Cashwell said. “We have a lot of room to grow, but I think we can do some things this year.”

The team will next face Greensville County on the road Tuesday, April 28, with first pitch set for 4:30 p.m.