FORT SCOTT – The schedule has been rough on the Louisburg softball team lately.

The Lady Cats opened with two losses against reigning Frontier League champion Paola last week and their most recent test came Tuesday in Fort Scott.

Louisburg faced off with Fort Scott for the first time since the Tigers defeated the Lady Cats last season in the third-place game of the Class 4A Division I tournament. Fort Scott did the same Tuesday.

Fort Scott’s Kyenne Wade pitched a perfect game in the opener and struck out 13 Louisburg batters on its way to a 10-0 victory.  The Tigers made it a sweep with a 15-0 victory as the Lady Cats managed just one single.

The Lady Cats will try and get that first win today when they host Prairie View in their home opener at Lewis-Young Park. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg catcher Kallee Bartlett tags out a Paola runner during the Lady Cats’ season opener Thursday in Paola.

PAOLA – It wasn’t the start to the season the Louisburg softball team had hoped for.

The Lady Cats, who ended Paola’s season last year in the regional championship game, had a hard time keeping up with Paola during their season opener Thursday in Paola. Paola got out to big leads early and never let up with 13-0 and 15-0 run-rule losses.

In the first game of the doubleheader, the Lady Cats appeared they were going to jump out on top with the long ball. After sophomore Blair Vohs reached on a walk, junior Miranda White connected on a pitch to deep centerfield.

It would have been a 2-run home run, instead Paola’s Morgan Laudan made a leaping catch at the fence to rob the Lady Cats of their first runs of the season. The news didn’t get much better.

Paola scored five runs in the first and eight more in the second on its way to the win. Junior Emalee Overbay had the Lady Cats lone hit with a single in the second inning.

The Panthers did much of the same in the second inning with five runs in the second, three in the third and seven in the fourth to secure the run-rule win. Kallee Bartlett had the Lady Cats lone hit with a single in the third inning.

Louisburg will try and get its first win of the season Tuesday when it travels to Fort Scott. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Junior Miranda White hits the ball off the tee during batting practice last week. White is one of four returning players from last season’s state tournament team.

It was a memorable run last season for the Louisburg softball team as it reached new heights in the program.

The Lady Cats ventured to the state tournament and placed for the first time in school history after knocking off unbeaten Paola to win the regional crown. If Louisburg wants history to repeat itself, it will be asking a new group of players to take a big step forward.

Louisburg lost five starters from its fourth-place state team and will see a new look on the mound, behind the plate and an almost-new infield.

“I am looking for a lot of young kids to step up to the plate this year,” Louisburg coach Kristi Weers said. “We are a young team but they have been working hard and are determined.”

The Lady Cats have three underclassmen returning, including sophomore Allyssa Griggs, who will take the mound this year. Griggs started at different times as a freshman, including one game in the state tournament, but will be asked to carry the load this season.

Louisburg’s Cierra Rose underhands the ball to Blair Vohs as they turned a double play during practice. The Lady Cats open their season today in Paola.

Griggs will be throwing to a new catcher in Emalee Overbay. The Louisburg sophomore started several games as a freshman, but worked mainly in the outfield.

Overbay, who was an all-Frontier League selection a year ago, is one of the team’s top returning hitters.

Junior Miranda White, another returning all-league selection, will lead an outfield group in centerfield. White will also be a fixture in the middle of the Lady Cat lineup with Overbay.

Fellow junior Christina Dalrymple will look to provide some leadership as she returns from last season’s state team as well.

Louisburg opens its season today when it travels to Paola for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

“First game on the season, Paola is always a great team,” Weers said. “With that being said, we will go out and play the best we know how and hopefully pick up a couple of wins.”

LOUISBURG HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Apr. 2                           @ Paola                              4:30 p.m.

Apr. 7                           @ Fort Scott                      4:30 p.m.

Apr. 9                           Prairie View                       4:30 p.m.

Apr. 14                         Eudora                                4:30 p.m.

Apr. 21                         @ Baldwin                          4:30 p.m.

Apr. 23                         @Osawatomie                  4:30 p.m.

Apr. 28                         De Soto                               4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30                         Chanute                              4:30 p.m.

May 5                          Ottawa                               4:30 p.m.

May 11                        @ Spring Hill                      4:30 p.m.