Walking down the gravel drive towards the Polk softball field, you could hear the pop.

Beyond the press box and chain link backstop, Yancey Pace was working like a machine. Winding into to her motion, releasing and watching as the ball hit the catcher’s mitt creating a loud pop and a cloud of dust.

In the home dugout, head coach Jeff Wilson sat, smiling, and often throwing out direction to his defense in between shouts of, “bring it Yancey.”

The smile from Wilson went deeper than just watching one of his pitchers throwing gas. It’s that Pace, a sophomore, isn’t even his starting pitcher. His starting pitcher Jamie Hrobak was on the road playing Pisgah in the first round of basketball playoffs.

That smile was happiness because he knows he’s got a deep rotation that will be the strength of his team this season. Hrobak and catcher Alyssa Montgomery are returning All-State players – the nucleus of the Lady Wolverines.

Hrobak can make history this season. The junior is 14 wins away from the All-Time wins record for the Lady Wolverines with 29 victories under her belt. Tiffany McCord holds the record with 38 wins.

Montgomery is the leader of the infield. The catcher plays an important role in Wilson’s system and the junior is a good one.

“She’s one of the best players in the mountains,” Wilson said.

The Lady Wolverines return their entire infield this season, but graduated two of last year’s starters in the outfield, including All-State centerfielder Nikki Williams. Polk also took another hit in the outfield.

On the first day of practice, Polk lost its senior captain Haley Champion. The senior right fielder broke her ankle and will miss the entire season.

“You hate to lose your team captain, especially on the first day of practice,” Wilson said. “I’ve challenged the girls to step up and fill that role.”

Aside from Montgomery and Hrobak, the Wolverines return four more starters. Pace started at short last season, Shalyn Brown started at second base, Cassie Couch started at first base and Kara Garvin started at third base.

Other players Polk will rely on this season are Alicia Lockhart, Cavin Richards, Erica Painter, Chelsea Kelly, Sammie Walker, Casey McDowell, Amber Lynch, Makenzie White, Shea Wheeler, Brittany Jones and Katie Ruff.