The Gibault Catholic High School softball team is coming off a very good 2013 campaign that ended with a winning record and a trip to the regional championship game, which they lost to Red Bud.

The Hawks are hoping to take things a step further and win the regional title in 2014.

Gibault lost three starters from last year’s team: Kelly Kapp, Morgan Weber and Megan Wagner.

“They were all starters and key parts of last year’s team and they will be missed,” head coach Dave Gregson said.

The Hawks have two returning seniors on this year’s team, and both have already committed to a college program. Lauren Prader is headed to Illinois State and Noelle Davis will play for Lindenwood University next year.

Prader hit .460 last year with 7 homeruns and 11 stolen bases. Davis hit .362 in 2013 with 5 triples and was 6-2 on the mound with a 3.57 ERA.

“Prader and Davis are very helpful at practice and with helping the younger players,” Gregson said of his seniors. “With their knowledge of the game, its like having two more coaches on the field.”

Also returning this season are junior Paige Wriston, who hit .300 last season with 31 RBIs, and sophomores Morgan Wiegand and Morgan Bollinger.

Gregson added that freshman Hannah Dengler is hoping to make her mark on the team in her first season with the Hawks, along with some other promising young players.

“This is a young team. I look for them to show improvement as the season goes on and so far in practice they have done just that,” Gregson said. “All we can do is take things one game at a time and get better as the season goes on and build on our goal of winning regionals.”

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