When their season began, Catasauqua’s softball program had expectations to get back to the postseason, but their aspirations beyond that likely wouldn’t materialize.

All-American Hannah Edwards and a small core of returnees would anchor a club that wondered if they could sufficiently fill a roster. There were exactly eight players on their roster before the season began.

The Roughies did and it didn’t take long for them to establish themselves as one of the Valley’s premier programs this spring. An eight- and nine-game winning streak were among a series of highlights for a team that produced an overall 19-5 record.

Dropping a tight, 2-1 contest in the Colonial League final, Catty’s season ended with a 4-1 defeat to Pine Grove in the second round of the PIAA District 11 playoffs. The Roughies beat Northern Lehigh, 2-1, in the opening round.

In many ways, it was extraordinary as well as bittersweet.

“I thought we would have enough talent to qualify for districts,” said head coach Bobby Thomas, who completed his eighth season at the helm. “But we didn’t foresee being the number two seed in the Colonial League playoffs and being in the league final.

“It proved to be a good year for us.”

Thomas recounted how comeback wins over Salisbury and Southern Lehigh early in the season helped create some needed momentum.

“Salisbury was a big win for us and then we beat Southern Lehigh,” stated Thomas. “That really got us going. We got on a pretty good roll after that. We started hitting the ball and gained more confidence.

“We really played better for the rest of the season.”

Ironically, the Roughies’ bats went silent over their last five games of the season, a stretch in which they scored seven runs.

“We struggled with our hitting,” said Thomas. “We were scoring runs and getting 13, 14 or more hits per game. But then we slowed down offensively. That hurt us down the stretch.”

Edwards is one of four seniors who graduated, and also those who changed the complexion of the team. She set state records in career hits, runs, stolen bases and single-season marks in hits and stolen bases.

“Hannah (Edwards) did a lot of things for us,” said Thomas. “She got us going and a lot of kids fed off of her. We tended to go as she went. I hope to God we get another player like her, but she is a one-of-a-kind player. You get a player like that usually once in your coaching career.

“But we’re going to have to do things differently.”

Thomas, who accumulated the most wins this year in a season during his overall run, will look to returnees Alexia Reichl, Emma Bellesfield, Shannon Gallagher, and Serena Smith to maintain their status.

He also will look to enhance their middle school program.

“Those girls have become better players and we will rely on them,” said Thomas. “We also have a number of girls who made strides this year. We tend to get three or four players each year to replace our players who have graduated and it has worked for us.

“But we have to work on our middle school program. Our numbers are down and we need to increase them. We had a good year, and we just have to keep working to reach the next level.”