by Rodger Wheeler for the Ozarks Sports Zone and Houndawgsports

Throughout the 2012 Aurora softball season, first-year head coach James Hoffman centered his team's attention on goals being "processed-based", not "result based". The success of that theme, resulting in a 7-13 overall record, leads to what Hoffman hopes is the reaping in 2013.

"Last season, I saw a lot of improvement within every player in the program," said Hoffman, who enters just his second year coaching high school girl's softball. Hoffman also serves as Aurora's varsity baseball head coach. "They kept plugging away and understood that their grinding away would eventually result in the way they deserved."

Aurora lost two seniors from last year's team, All-Big 8 Conference Honorable Mention catcher Cierra Hilton, who led the team with a .400 batting average, and Sydney Shoemaker, who was an All-Big 8 Conference and All-District 2nd Team selection as an outfielder.

The loss of those two players will be hard to replace, but Hoffman also realizes that to be a positive for the program.

"The best things about last year's squad is that we were extremely young and only lost two players," said Hoffman. "They will be greatly missed, but we have great senior leadership to take their place."

Returning for Hoffman are pitcher Baylee Hilton, who is an all-around great athlete, earning All-Conference and All-District 2nd Team honors as a junior.

"Baylee spent most of her junior year in the circle," Hoffman said. "She became much more comfortable and began to trust her pitches as the year progressed." Hilton hit .281 last season and is expected to have a strong senior season and provide leadership to the underclassmen.

The second of three returning seniors is infielder Paige Whitlock, who lead the Lady Houn's in runs scored last year. Whitlock, Hoffman said, is an all-around great athlete with good speed and good strength.

"I look for Paige to do what Paige does," Hoffman said, "which is show up, work her tail off and let everything else take care of itself."

The third returning senior starter is outfielder Logan Dunning. Dunning hit at a .260 clip her junior season and will provide power in the middle of the lineup for Aurora.

Other notable returners for the Lady Houn's are juniors Jackie Stephens, who led the team in RBIs in 2012, junior Hailey Paulson and sophomore Jacy Clayton.