Aberdeen Central is hoping that lessons learned last year will translate into success on the diamond this year.

The Golden Eagles did not win a game during their inaugural campaign last year, but believe that is about to change during their sophomore season.

“Just seeing them come on day one of tryouts and just putting forth their best effort, not just this year, but as soon as our season ended last year, our girls really prioritized softball,” said Central coach Cassidy Neer. “They joined a league out in Watertown, had some success out that way. Seeing them back on March 11, ready to come out of the gates firing, was a feeling that’s second to none.”

Central returns nearly its entire squad from a year ago. Neer said her players are way farther along this season compared to the same time last year.

“They definitely took strides as the year went on, and this year we were able to start at just a complete different level of the game from day one,” Neer said, “which changes the way we approach and the way we coach, and what we put in our practice plans this year is a lot different from what we could put in them last year.”

One of top returning hitters is Reece Comstock, who just missed hitting the first home run in program history last year. Ayrlie Waldo and Kaylee Dixon are also key members of the lineup.

Top pitchers for the Golden Eagles are Kaylee Kiesow and Kylee Hoffman.

“I couldn’t say enough good things about our pitchers, Kaylee Kiesow and Kylee Hoffman,” Neer said. “They have non-stop been working on their pitching from the end of last season to all the way through this year, finding time to get indoors with a pitching coach and just making themselves better, which then makes our team better. When you have good pitching, it changes the whole dynamic and the calmness of the field.”

Not only have the players made strides from a year ago, Neer said she believes she is a better coach as she heads into her second season.

“Definitely as a coach I’ve grown, being able to reflect on last year, what we need to break down more to build up, and what things worked and just what things didn’t,” Neer said.

The Golden Eagles, who were to open their season with a pair of games on Tuesday, now rescheduled to Thursday, at the Aberdeen Dome against Watertown and Pierre, are looking forward to getting their initial win in program history.

That said, Neer wants the season to be a work in progress where the team improves with each passing game.

“We take it one game at a time and we just see where we’re at. I always tell the girls we want to peak at the right time,” Neer said. “These first couple games of the gate, we obviously want to come out firing, but we want to make sure that we continue to get better and that we don’t peak too early in the season.”

With the state tournament in Aberdeen once again this year, the Golden Eagles would like to be a part of the eight-team Class AA field.

Neer and the Golden Eagles know there is a lot of work to be done in order to accomplish that goal.

“Obviously, the state tournament is a goal that we always have in the back of our minds,” Neer said “but we want to make sure that we progress appropriately up to that point.”

While Neer said Central can’t control how good an opponent is or what the final score is, the Golden Eagles can control their energy.

They can also control the little nuances associated with the game of softball, like advancing runners, making the proper throws, and building their softball IQ, which Neer said takes a lot of work.

“There’s a lot of moving variables in softball,” Neer said, “so seeing them start to understand that when they approach the plate, they’re not just going up there swinging the bat, they’re recognizing what’s happening on the field around them, and adjusting to those circumstances.”