The Pirates girls softball team got its first two wins of the season Sept. 4 and 5 at the Sheridan tournament, defeating Rangeview 17-3 and Hinkley 17-4.

Englewood’s young, inexperienced team has only a single returning letter winner so coach Dave Chapman acknowledged this is definitely a rebuilding season.

“We definitely looked like a young, inexperienced team in our first three games. We just didn’t play well at all,” the coach said. “But, I used those games to move people around to fine the best possible lineup. That paid off as we really played well in the Sheridan tournament, winning two of the four games we played.”

Chapman said sophomore Karley Kornek stepped up to handle the pitching chores for all four tournament game.

Kornek started the season with the team last year but an elbow injury sidelined her for all but the first few games of the season.

She started this season behind the plate but moved to the mound for the tournament and, according to the coach, “is doing a heck of a job for us.”

Players are also doing a better job of finding the range with the bats. A pair of freshmen, Breanna Klipka and Candice Hall, have emerged as the team’s hitting leaders. In the Rangeview game, Klipka went 3 for 3 with a pair of RBI while Smith went 3 of 3 against Hinkley with a double and three RBI.

Sammy Maestas has banged out a pair of hits while, in the 10-3 loss to Sheridan, Indira Rdang went 2 for 2.

Coach Chapman said many of his young players, including freshmen like Klipka and Hall, came to the Pirates with experience in competitive softball.

“We are seeing players come to us who played softball in the Babe Ruth League with the the Englewood Youth Sports Association teams,” the coach said. “They learn the fundamentals and that is a big plus for our team.”