Staff file photo / Neel Madhavan. Austintown Fitch pitcher Sydnie Watts fires a pitch last season. She was a key performer last season for the Falcons, recording a 0.83 ERA and 314 strikeouts.

AUSTINTOWN — After compiling a 23-3 record and a Division I regional final appearance a year ago, Austintown Fitch should be aiming for stars heading into this season.

But the Falcons aren’t thinking about that right now. They’re focusing on taking care of themselves, while continuing to build and improve as the new season approaches.

“Our expectations are really to just be the best team that we can be and let everything else sort itself out,” said head coach Steven Ward. “We’re not talking about doing this or doing that — it’s let’s get better today. Let’s keep working to get better and really see where our potential can go. Because we did lose some key seniors, but we have a bunch of returners and we have some really good young kids. So now, it’s just about developing maturity and to keep moving forward.”

Key among those returners is sophomore pitcher Sydnie Watts, who burst onto the scene last year as a freshman, racking up countless honors in just her first season at the high school level.

Watts finished her freshman year with an ERA of 0.83 and 314 strikeouts, which shattered the Falcons’ single-season school record. However, not only was Watts dominant in the circle for Fitch, she proved to be one of its top hitters as well, finishing last season with a .526 batting average to go along with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs.

“She’s one of the best pitchers in all of Ohio, and she’s ranked nationally,” Ward said of Watts. “So for her, it’s going to be about not trying to do too much and do it all yourself. (She just has to) rely on her team like she did last year, have fun out there and be herself.”

Playing a year-round schedule with high school softball and travel ball, Watts suffered a foot injury in the fall, but spent the winter recovering and she says she is back to where she was.

She also spent the past year adding to her pitching “arsenal,” according to Ward, noting that she’s added a couple new pitches and become more comfortable with them.

“Over the summer, I faced really good competition (in travel ball), which helped me a lot,” Watts said. “Over the winter, I just worked on getting back from that injury. Now, I’m just looking forward to playing with the team. I love this team — they’re like a bunch of sisters to me and I’m just excited to get to play with them.”

Watts’ partnership with senior catcher and Notre Dame College-commit McKenna Hogan will be instrumental for the Falcons, as well. The bond and chemistry that the two built last year will be the core of the Falcons’ defense and has only grown stronger heading into this season.

“They’re like sisters — they hang out all the time and they’re over at each other’s houses all the time,” Ward said. “Just that familiarly, knowing what Syd wants to do with the pitch, McKenna knows how to set up and do everything that we need to do behind the scenes. (Hogan) does a heck of a job framing and getting some of the pitches that might not go exactly where we want. Just them together, the closer you are, there’s the unspoken rule that you know what the other person wants to do and having both of them out there for another year is going to be amazing.”

The Falcons also bring back junior YSU-commit Ayla Ray at shortstop and senior Notre Dame College-commit Caitlin Mitchell at second base. Leading off the top of the order, Ray batted .591 as a sophomore last year, the best mark on the team, while Mitchell finished last season with a .347 average.

Madi Beaudis is one five returning seniors for the Falcons and will continue to start in right field after hitting .370 last year. Ward said he expects senior Ashlee McLean to take a step forward and take over duties in left field, while adding that Kylie Folkwein has locked down center field.

Ward also hopes sophomore Tina Montgomery (third base) and freshman Abby Toth (first base) can step into helping fill the void left by last year’s graduated seniors Maddy Taylor, Alison Foley and Samantha Aey.

“I think our middle infield is really strong, (along with) our pitcher-catcher combo,” Ward said. “(Beaudis’) experience out there in right field is going to be phenomenal for us to hit the ground running. …(Montgomery) has a really strong arm, really powerful. …Kylie Folkwein can do everything, she’s going to be out in centerfield, but if needed she can go to shortstop or be a heck of a catcher. She’s very versatile and brings a huge bat to the lineup. Abby as well, she squatted 260 as a freshman, so her power is unbelievable.

“It’s going to be a fun lineup to see what they can do because they’re all great teammates to each other. They support each other so much and judging from our first scrimmage, the dugout is going to be loud, crazy and lots of fun.”

The schedule is tough, as always, for Fitch. The Falcons have multiple series against AAC foes and will also face powerhouses Mentor, Aurora, Perry, Chardon, Hoban and Ursuline. Ward said Fitch will also participate in a spring break tournament down in Myrtle Beach against national competition, just like it did last season.

The Falcons open the season Saturday at home against Ashtabula Lakeside at 4:30 p.m.

nmadhavan@tribtoday.com