Kent-Meridian High School senior Lerina Joel knows her way around a bat and ball. She grew up playing slowpitch softball and her father played baseball.

In 2014, Joel’s cousin, Bertha Tulensru, then a senior on K-M’s fastpitch team, encouraged Joel to try out the sport.

With her slowpitch experience, Joel was able to pick up fastpitch fairly quick.

“It is similar in a way, so I kind of got the hang of it,” she said.

Tulensru provided Joel advice on the game.

“She gave me a lot of tips on what was different than fastpitch and slowpitch,” Joel said.

Now in her third year on the team, Joel said she prefers fastpitch.

“It’s more intimidating than (slowpitch) softball,” she said. “The balls are much faster. It kind of gets me on the competitive side.”

Joel started out playing second base.

“Last year, they switched me up to first and third base,” she said. “I like third base the most.”

Joel is the only senior on the varsity squad and uses her experience to help her teammates.

“It feels good to teach the other girls the things about fastpitch that I know that they don’t know about,” she said.

Coach Tim Scott described Joel as a “silent leader.”

“She likes to just go about her day and do her job well,” Scott said.

In her senior season, Joel hopes to become a better player but also hopes that the team will improve.

“I hope to at least win a game because we didn’t win a game last year,” she said.

Scott, who is in his second year as the Royals coach, said he thinks the goal is attainable.

“I think if we play as well as we have been practicing we will get a win this year,” he said. “We have improved a lot since last year so hopefully this year we can get one of those wins.”

In addition to Joel, returning starters for the Royals are junior Lacey Schomburg, and sophomores Lauryn Kesler, Emily Bailey, Elizabeth Elliott and Anlorey Alvarado.

Top newcomers include juniors Jazzmine James and Nathaly Florez, sophomores Deborah Tafeaga and Adriana Gomez and freshman Selina Diaz.

“I think we will have some very competitive games and will be exciting to watch,” Scott said. “We are still a very young team and are starting out the year with more experience amongst our varsity players.”

Two of the newcomers have pitching experience, which Kent-Meridian has lacked in past seasons.

“Our only weakness is our overall lack of experience, but our players make up for that by working extremely hard to improve each and every day,” Scott said. “This is a fun team to coach and a program I am proud to be part of.”

Elsewhere

Kentlake

• Coach: Greg Kaas, first year (previously coached 11 seasons for Kentlake)

• Last year’s record: 9-9 South Puget Sound League North 4A, 12-13 overall

• Key players: Allyson Overall, pitcher; Ashley Hendrickson, catcher/pitcher/first base; Kianna Kingsley, first base; Brooke Bennett, second base/first base; Jordan Engman, shortstop; Maddy Seumalo, utility; Maggie Brach, utility; Kalina Despain, center field

• Outlook: “I expect us to have fun, work harder than every team in the SPSL, and always compete,” Kaas said.

Kentwood

• Coach: Jason Winsor, ninth year

• Last year’s record: 13-5 SPSL North 4A, 15-10 overall

• Key players: Lagi Palaita, sophomore, infield/pitcher; Mina Sagapolutele, soph., catcher/infield; Taylor Lott, junior, pitcher/first base