BY KEVIN WOODRUFF

ElkLake’s girls’ softball team returns to the diamond after making a run at the Class AA state playoffs last year finishing out with a 19-1 overall record.

However, some big changes to the roster took place with the graduation of senior standouts Brooke Darling, Gabby Baltzley, Bri Hollenbeck and Kyla Marcy.

With the loss of Darling and Baltzley, who were both 2011 all-state selections and provided a dominant pitcher-catcher duo, coach Tony Blaisure is making adjustments.

“We’ve got to fill a big plate this year. We lost 80 percent of our offense,” Blaisure said. “But with some returners hopefully we get some good leadership and by mid-season have a strong team.”

Blaisure will rely on returners juniors Kenzie Moon, Laura Gacha, Sara Kwiatkowski, Faith Kwiatkowski and sophomore Casey Tyler to put a spark in the Warrior team.

Blaisure said he believes that Lackawanna League Division III will be an open division this season.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if whoever wins it has a few losses,” Blaisure said.

He said that Montrose, Mountain View, Lackawanna Trail and Western Wayne each return seven starters to their roster and will pose a threat, and said that the experience of Blue Ridge’s coaching will make them a solid team.

TheElkLakegirls’ softball team is comprised of senior Kyleen Sisson, juniors Moon, Gacha, S. Kwiatkowski, F. Kwiatkowski and Courtney Erat, sophomores Tyler, Debbie Harvey and Paige Parkhurst and freshmen Emily Kasson, Lindsey Dudock, Celia DeWitt, Alexis Drabb, Becca Phillips and Bethany Ruff.

ElkLakekicks off its season on Friday, Mar. 23, atNorth Poconoat4:30 p.m.

Full schedule:

Mar. 23, atNorth Pocono,4:30 p.m.

Mar. 31, at Notari Tournament, Old Forge, TBA

Apr. 2, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 5, at Montrose,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 7, home againstCarbondale,10 a.m.

Apr. 7, home against Sayre,12 p.m.

Apr. 10, home againstForestCity,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 12, atWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 16, home againstBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 18, home againstMt.View,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 24, at Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 26, at Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30, home against Montrose,4:30 p.m.

May 7, home againstWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

May 10, atBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

May 16, home against Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Lady Raiders will look to improve upon an 11-3 record in Lackawanna League Division III under coach Bob Pavelski.

The team gets started on Monday, Apr. 2, atWestern Wayne.

Full schedule:

Apr. 2, atWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 4, atForestCity,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 10, home against Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 12, home againstMt.View,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 16, atElkLake,3:30 p.m.

Apr. 18, at Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 24, home against Montrose,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 26, home againstWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30, home againstForestCity,4:30 p.m.

May 3, at Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

May 7, atMt.View,4:30 p.m.

May 10, home against Elk lake,4:30 p.m.

May 14, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

May 16, at Montrose,4:30 p.m.

Forest City

The Forest City girls’ softball team finished out the 2011 season with a 4-10 record in Lackawanna League Division III and will look to place above .500 this spring.

ForestCitybegins its season on Tuesday, Mar. 20, at home against Carbondlae, at4:30 p.m.

Full schedule:

Mar. 20, home againstCarbondale,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 2, home against Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 4, home againstBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 10, atElkLake,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 12, at Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 16, home againstWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 18, home against Montrose,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 24, atMt.View,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 26, at Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30, atBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

May 3, home againstElkLake,4:30 p.m.

May 7, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

May 10, atWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

May 14, at Montrose,4:30 p.m.

May 16, home againstMt.View,4:30 p.m.

Montrose

The Montrose softball team, under coach Mel Lasher, will look to improve upon its 10-4 record from last year and make a run at winning the division championship.

The Meteors begin action on Friday, Mar. 23, atDunmore, at4:30 p.m.

Full schedule:

Mar. 23, atDunmore,4:30 p.m.

Mar. 24, at Tunkhannock,4:30 p.m.

Mar. 30, atCarbondale,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 2, home againstMt.View,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 5, home againstElkLake,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 10, atWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 12, at Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 16, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 18, atForestCity,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 24, atBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 26, atMt.View,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30, atElkLake,4:30 p.m.

May 3, home againstWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

May 7, home against Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

May 10, at Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

May 14, home againstForestCity,4:30 p.m.

May 16, home against Blue Ridge, 4:30 p.m.

Mountain View

Mountain View’s Lady Eagle softball team finished out the Lackawanna League Division III regular season last year with a 7-7 overall record under coach Mike Molenko.

The Eagles will get a new season underway on Mar. 22 at Mid Valley, at4:30 p.m.

Full schedule:

Mar. 22, at Mid Valley,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 2, at Montrose,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 4, home againstWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 10, at Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 12, atBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 16, home against Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 18, atElkLake,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 24, home againstForestCity,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 26, home against Montrose,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30, atWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

May 3, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

May 7, home againstBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

May 10, at Susquehanna,4:30 p.m.

May 14, home againstElkLake,4:30 p.m.

May 16, atForestCity,4:30 p.m.

Susquehanna

Susquehanna’s softball team finished 1-13 overall in Lackawanna League Division III last season and will look to improve its efforts in the new year.

The team gets started on Thursday, Mar. 29, at Deposit Central, at4:30 p.m.

Full schedule:

Mar. 29, at Deposit Central (N.Y.),4:30 p.m.

Mar. 30, at Hancock,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 2, atForestCity,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 4, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 10, atBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 12, home against Montrose,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 16, atMt.View,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 18, atWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 24, home againstElkLake,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 26, home againstForestCity,4:30 p.m.

Apr. 30, at Lackawanna Trail,4:30 p.m.

May 3, home againstBlue Ridge,4:30 p.m.

May 7, at Montrose,4:30 p.m.

May 10, home againstMt.View,4:30 p.m.

May 12-13, at Hanock Invitational,9 a.m.

May 14, home againstWestern Wayne,4:30 p.m.

May 16, atElkLake,4:30 p.m.