The 2013 Iowa High School softball season is over and despite West Central Valley’s 7-22 record, the Wildcats vastly improved over the last 14 games of the season.

Head coach Ken Cox says they started the season 1-11 in the West Central Conference, 2-12 overall, had been shutout five times and scored only 49 runs.  He points out that weather was a big factor in the sluggish start because his players couldn’t get a rhythm going in practices spending a lot of time indoors.

However, once June 25th hit, the Wildcats went 5-9 and scored 84 runs to finish out the regular season and the best game of the year, adds Cox, was the last conference game at Coon Rapids-Bayard winning that one 6-5 on July 2nd.

“They had beat us pretty good earlier in the year, 12-2, so you know going in there we felt confident that we could play with them.  We battled with them, there was a lead change two or three times, but our girls never gave up (and) ended up getting a victory out of that.  That’s probably one we’re most proud of this year.”

The Wildcats ended their season in the first round of regionals against fellow conference opponent, Woodward-Granger, when West Central Valley lost 12-2 in five innings on July 9th.