A mixed bag.

That's what the high school softball season offers when it begins Friday.

Only three of the nine area teams - Karns City, Moniteau and Grove City - are coming off playoff appearances.

Some teams, such as Mars and Slippery Rock, will try to improve on poor performances as both squads combined for nine victories last year.

The Rockets will be under the direction of a new coach in Tom Wamsley.

Also taking over the reins of a team is Freeport's Angie Hileman.

Though the Yellowjackets failed to make the playoffs last year, they did finish 12-5.

The Grove City Eagles, led by 10th-year coach Shawnee Denbow, will look to build on a 2003 campaign that saw the team go 23-1. Its only loss came in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals.

All in all, it should prove to be an exciting season of softball for area high schools.

Following are preview capsules for the nine area teams:

Coach: Tanya Schnur, second seasonLast year: 8-12, tied for last place in Section 5-AAA with a 3-7 section markFirst game: Friday at West Mifflin FridayPlayers lost: Chelsea Perry (P), Katie Gillis (OF)Projected lineup: P- Megan Marra (senior);C- Heather Spangler (senior);1B- Sara Hamil (sophomore) or Christie Brockley (senior);2B- Val Fair (senior) or Amy Ferrari (junior);3B- Kara Deal (senior);SS- Ali Schnur (senior);LF- Nicole Cranmer (senior);CF- Dana Gillis (junior);RF- Kelly Anzaldi (sophomore)Comment: "We've got a lot of senior leadership this season," said Schnur. "We've got some players with speed, but we need to get them on base."

Coach: George Trew, fourth seasonLast year: 13-7, finished third in Section 5-AAA with a 5-5 section recordFirst game: Friday at RiversidePlayers lost: Nan Layton (CF), Becky Lewis (SS), Mandy Pavlick (1B), Stephanie Kelly (3B), Colleen Spurney (2B), Lauren Sasala (2B), Nikki Cormier (OF)Projected lineup:P- Lauren Milkey (senior) or Megan Wise (junior);C- Tina Mangola (sophomore);1B- Julie Marlowe (sophomore), Laura Ness (junior) or Shanea Climo (senior);2B- Marlowe or Hayley Crosby (junior);3B- Nicole Lollo (freshman) or Marlowe;SS- Ali Intihar (sophomore) or Crosby;LF- Kristen Barna (junior) or Marlowe;CF- Liz Dorogy (freshman) or Barna;RF- Courtney DeFalco (senior)Comment: "We've got five letterwinners returning from last year," Trew said of Milkey, Wise, Marlowe, Intihar and DeFalco. "We expect to put a pretty competitive team on the field."

Coach: Michele Goodworth, sixth seasonLast year: 5-13, finished fourth in Section 2-AA with a 2-6 section markFirst game: Monday vs. AvonworthPlayers lost: Rose Iksik (1B), Allison Campbell (SS), Elyse Pehel (3B), Nicole Broskey (CF), Christine Funk (RF)Projected lineup:P- Ashley DeSano (junior), Amanda Charles (junior) or Monica Glomb (freshman)C- Kara Stroup (senior);1B- Kyla Ferguson (sophomore);2B- Megan Maloni (senior) or Hannah Taggart (sophomore);3B- Gabrielle Robison (sophomore);SS- DeSano or Taggart;LF- Charles or Ashleigh Smith (senior);CF- Charles or Smith;RF- Glomb (freshman)Comment: "This season our pitcher is healthy and many players worked in the off-season," said Goodworth. "The spirit is high and the kids are ready to win after last season."

Coach: Julia Nesbitt, eighth seasonLast year: 6-13, ended up third in Section 2-AA with a 4-4 section recordFirst game: Friday vs. HighlandsPlayers lost: Leanne Martin (C), Maria Tack (2B), Jen Voltz (1B), Jamie Foster (3B)Projected lineup:P- Sarah Hlebiczki (senior);C- Lizz King (freshman);1B- Michelle Frye (senior) or Autumn Miller (sophomore);2B- Alex Harper (freshman);3B- Erinn Yetter (senior);SS- Tiffany Allen (sophomore);LF- Meghan Bastin (sophomore);CF- Candice Jenkins (senior);RF- Becky Crampton (senior)Comment: "We've got a lot of young players in our lineup this year," said Nesbitt. "And inexperience may be a stumbling block early in the season. But after that, we should be fine."

Coach: Angie Hileman, first seasonLast year: 12-5, finished third in Section 6-AA with a 7-4 section markFirst game: April 2 at KnochPlayers lost: Lara Hayden (3B), Amanda Beresik (CF), Emily Affrica (DH-1B)Projected lineup:P- Heather Fair (senior) or Stephanie Leslie (sophomore);C- Megan Prazenica (senior);1B- Laura Garlitz (junior);2B- Ally Wood (senior);3B- Leslie or Fair;SS- Jenny Fair (junior);LF- Laney Pastoria (junior) or Jerrica Boroski (junior);CF- Lauren Fuhrman (junior);RF- Nicole Beggs (senior)Comment: "The kids want to make the playoffs," said Hileman. "They also want to win the section, though our section is very tough."

Coach: Mike Simpson, second seasonLast year: 10-9, lost in first round of District 9 Class AA playoffsFirst game: Friday at DuBois AreaPlayers lost: Kendra Simpson (3B), Tisa Vensel (SS), Sarah Callender (P), Mary Faller (DH)Projected lineup:P- Shelby Waltman (senior), Chasity Steele (senior), Roslyn Ferraro (junior);C- Kristen Macurak (senior);1B- Shannon Christie (junior), Haley Callihan (freshman);2B- Marissa Evankovich (junior);3B- Laura Ganter (senior);SS- Jocelyn Bishop (junior), Samantha Pyle (freshman);LF- Chrichele Griffith (senior);CF- Danielle Brown (senior);RF- Megan Simpson (senior), Stephanie Devore (senior)Comment: "Our three pitchers have no varsity experience, but I'm confident in their abilities," said Simpson. "I think our defense will be the strongest part of the team. There's some good competition going on between girls for certain positions."

Coach: Danny Hindman, second seasonLast year: 15-4, lost in District 9 Class AA title gameFirst game: Saturday-vs. Slippery RockPlayers lost: Lindsay Minnear (CF) and Renae Wilson (P)Projected lineup:P- Melanie Foreman (senior), Sara Vinca (sophomore) or Selina Edinger (senior);C- Laken Burk (junior) or Brittney Beachem (senior);1B- Melissa Casper (senior);2B- Natalie DeMatteis (junior);3B- Jess Pletcher (senior), Edinger or Burk;SS- Jenna Beatty (junior);OF- Amy Randall (junior), Cori Christy (senior), Kelly McMillen (junior), Burk or VincaComment: "These girls practice hard and they play as a team," said Hindman. "As in the past, our goal is to win the KSAC. Hopefully, we can win the district and move on."

Coach: Tom Wamsley, first seasonLast year: The Rockets won four games in 2003First game: Saturday at MoniteauPlayers lost: Rachel Markovitch (1B), Jen Hawkins (2B), Bridget Weidner (SS), Colby Neely (3B), Theresa Mullan (OF), Becca Sarvey (OF), Cassi Pridemore (OF), Jessica Sobah (OF)Projected lineup:P- Tana Albright (senior);C- Shannon Aspinall (junior);1B- Suzanne Yurko (junior) or Clarissa McKnight (junior);2B- Shanae White (freshman) or Yurko;3B- Megan Morrissey (junior);SS- Lindsey Thomas (senior);LF- Allison Plummer (freshman), Ashley Pendel (sophomore) or White;CF- Jenny Remington (junior);RF- Plummer, Pendel or WhiteComment: "The girls are working hard," said Wamsley. "I've only been working with them for two weeks, but I like what I see."

Coach: Shawnee Denbow, 10th seasonLast year: 23-1, District 10 Class AA champions; lost in PIAA quarterfinalsFirst game: Tuesday-at Kennedy CatholicPlayers lost: Carly Bell (P), Jess Kochumba (C), Katie Herman (1B), Amber Chutz (2B), Cindy Reiber (3B), Tony Reiber (SS), Krista Kimes (CF), Maggie Fisher (RF)Projected lineup:P- Katie Sonntag (senior);C- Emily Robinson (junior), Tara Walmsley (freshman);1B- Ann Yetter (junior);2B- Jessie Hodge (sophomore), Stephanie Blakley (freshman);3B- Ali Gomla (junior);SS- Kristen Hughes (senior);LF- Kaitlin Moretti (sophomore);CF- Gomla;RF- Krista Chiappini (junior)Comment: "This is definitely the youngest team I've had as a coach," said Denbow. "But we still have a goal of winning the MCAC."