It may not feel like softball season outside, but work has begun for Class 3A state hopeful Hallettsville.
Hallettsville went indoors for its first practice as the UIL allowed softball teams to begin workouts on Friday.
The Lady Brahmas are going to have a different feel this season. Five starters graduated and third baseman Carson Jansky transferred.
After being a power-hitting team for the last few seasons, Hallettsville will be more of a contact hitting team and attempt to leverage its athleticism.
鈥淚t does change how I approach practices and how we have to approach offensively,鈥 Hallettsville head coach Callie Kresta said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if we鈥檙e necessarily going to be a small-ball team, but we鈥檙e a team that鈥檚 going to string together a few base hits in order to score some runs and we鈥檙e going to have to be a little more strategic.鈥
Senior outfielder Hanna Zachary provides offensive spark for Hallettsville. Zachary has been the Lady Brahmas leadoff hitter the last two seasons, hitting .599 while scoring 73 runs last season.
Zachary鈥檚 ability to make contact and her speed on the bases is going to be representative of Hallettsville鈥檚 new look.
鈥淏eing in the leadoff spot, that鈥檚 mainly your job is to get on base and set the table,鈥 Zachary said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really know who鈥檚 going to be in the lineup this year, but I鈥檓 confident in who we have year and how coach is going to set them up.鈥
Last season, Hallettsville had three reliable pitchers. Two of them graduated, but junior lefthander Grace Halata returns.
Halata sported a record of 13-1 in 16 starts with a 1.54 ERA and 91 strikeouts in her sophomore season. This season, Halata goes from being part of a great pitching staff to its leader.
鈥淭here is a lot of pressure, but it almost feels like it鈥檚 my time to shine now,鈥 Halata said. 鈥淭here is a lot on my shoulders, but I like being a mentor to these younger players and now it鈥檚 time to be a leader.鈥
Zachary, Halata and shortstop Macey Putska are Hallettsville鈥檚 only returning starters, but that does not mean the goals are different.
The goal in 2024 was to win a state championship. The Lady Brahmas lost in the state semifinals to Grandview.
鈥淭hese kids live and breathe softball; it鈥檚 new faces but it鈥檚 still kids that have been playing the sport for a long time at a high level,鈥 Kresta said. 鈥淣ow, it鈥檚 about figuring out where they fit into our scheme as a team and we鈥檒l work from there.鈥
With all of the new faces on the field, it鈥檚 Hallettsville鈥檚 experienced players who shoulder the task of bringing everyone else up to speed and living up to its own internal expectations.
鈥淚 feel fully responsible for our young players and I want them to have big dreams,鈥 Zachary said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been to the state tournament twice, and I want them to experience that as well, so I want us to get to that point.鈥
