Defense has always been a key to the success to the Catasauqua softball team.

Last season, the Roughies' steady defensive efforts helped them gain their first Colonial League crown since 1981 and advanced to the District 11 Class 2A championship game.

This season, they once rode their defensive efforts to begin the year as a table-setter for the rest of the league and appeared to be on track for a repeat performance in the league playoffs.

However, their defensive prowess and overall momentum took a downward shift in the latter part of the season. As a result, the Roughies didn't repeat as league champions and saw their season end with a loss in the district title game.

In fact, Catty dropped four of its last six games and finished with an overall 16-7 record and a 12-4 league mark.

"We weren't the same ballclub in the second half of the season, especially on defense," said head coach Bobby Thomas. "Our defense was a lot better in the first half of the season. During the first 11 games of the season, we averaged about an error a game. Over the last part of the season, that average went to three or four (errors).

"We won't be successful with that number of errors per game."

Thomas noted how his team scored six runs in their league loss to Bangor and also generated four runs in the district finale to Pen Argyl. He believed those offensive outputs should have been sufficient enough for a victory.

"We should have scored enough runs in both of those games to win," stressed Thomas. "But we had too many mental errors. As a result, we put too much of a strain on (starting pitcher Lexi Ayache), who needed to throw too many extra innings."

Senior starters Danielle Lilly, Janae Matos, and Shea O'Brien surely will be missed, but Ayache, who was the Roughies' mainstay on the mound this season, will be among the returnees next season.

So will three-year returning starters Amarys Moten and Hannah Edwards along with this season's newcomers, Sarah Gallagher and Abby Prelitz, who both figure to play prominent roles.

"Those seniors had great careers in the program," said Thomas. "They all helped us get to the next level. But we do have a good core coming back. We had a number of girls like Abby (Prelitz) and Sarah (Gallagher) who both got significant playing time this year."

With his team likely dropping out of the main spotlight next season, Thomas still expects his squad to again be a contender.

"This season was different for us over the last few because we had a target on our backs," said Thomas. "We had more attention to the team that we have ever had. But the girls responded well and never let the pressure get to them. We did win 16 games and we went to the district title game for the past two years.

"We'll get back to work and be ready for next season."