This year it’s all about finishing for the Lady Panthers. Portal High School’s softball team wants to finish each play, finish each at bat and most of all finish in the top eight of the region to advance to the region playoffs.
    Portal High School’s softball team has a variety of talent on this year’s squad.
    For the Lady Panthers, coached by Travis Motes, finishing in the top eight of the region may be a tall task.
    After a rough start to the season, Coach Motes still believes his team has what it takes to reach the postseason.
    “Our first goal is to finish inside the top eight, our second goal is to make the playoffs. We haven’t been to the playoffs in some time. We want to finish and not be satisfied,” Motes said Friday afternoon. “We want to finish the play and finish the at bat. When we run we want to finish and run through the bag. We want to do the simple things right.”
    On this year’s roster, the Lady Panthers have two seniors, three freshman, a handful of juniors and no sophomores. With only 11 players on the squad, Motes said the team is slightly limited in what they can do.
    “Our upperclassman have been playing for me for three years. They know what I expect and they know what I want them to do,” Motes said. “Really our job is trying to get the freshman up to speed and help us when the time occurs. We are at Portal and we’re a little shorthanded, but we want to do our job and do it well.”
    The Lady Panthers lost just two seniors from last year’s squad. This year, Motes said he expects Keri Carter and Faith Oglesby are expected to carry the load this season on the mound. Senior Tiffany Harlow is also expected to fill in when needed on the mound.
    Motes said he may use Harlow in closing situations or long-relief situations to give his starters some rest throughout the season.
    “They have been pitching since they were in middle school. They’re strong and they’re consistent. A single-A with not too many pitchers is tough, but we’re proud of what we’ve got,” Motes said.
    The Lady Panthers have a few big games coming up on the schedule this week. After a practice session Monday, the team will head on the road to face Swainsboro on Tuesday. Then the squad will be back at action at home against Aquinas Aug. 19.
    On Aug. 20, the Lady Panthers will get into its region schedule by taking on Savannah Christian.
    “We have some big games coming up. I usually don’t like to look ahead of the schedule, but these are really important games for us,” Motes said. “In the past we’ve maybe loss these games, but this time around we want to concentrate more on them and get out of this slump.”