While there wasn’t a championship brought back to Salisbury’s trophy case last season, the Lady Falcons’ softball team took another step forward. The team’s 18 wins was the most in head coach Jeff Appleman’s tenure at Salisbury.

With the start of the 2019 season just days away, Salisbury is hoping to produce another successful campaign. And maybe even bring home some hardware this time.

The task won’t be easy for the Lady Falcons, who finished 13-5 in the Colonial League and as league runner-ups to Northern Lehigh. Salisbury will be without two of its stars from last year’s team that helped lead the Lady Falcons to the District 11 Class 3A semifinals where their season came to an end against Pine Grove.

“Our goals will be to win the Colonial League and districts, and advance in the state tournament,” Appleman said. “Our goals will always be the same every year.”

The goals have been set high, and the Lady Falcons will have to reach those heights without the production of infielder Anna Bishop and outfielder Lilia Crouthamel. Both have graduated, and Crouthamel is playing Division I softball at Penn State this spring.

The duo was a key one-two punch in the Lady Falcons’ lineup. Bishop hit .511 last spring with 32 runs scored and 33 RBIs, while Crouthamel finished with a .489 average, 40 runs scored, 29 RBIs and 11 steals. Both eclipsed the 100-hit mark, and Crouthamel was named to the Class 3A All-State Second Team in 2018.

On paper, it might be virtually impossible to replace those stats with two newcomers. But Salisbury does return plenty of offensive production that will mask those voids easier.

Peyton Stauffer (.517 average, 45 runs scored and 16 steals) returns in the outfield, and Hannah Lipkin (.431 average, 21 runs scored and 13 steals) will play at second base for Appleman. Pitcher Emily Silberman, who will handle the majority of Salisbury’s innings on the mound, is also back and hit .480 last season with 36 hits and 29 RBIs.

Sara Lamana (.351 average, 27 hits, 29 RBIs), Gretchen Helsel, Julia Graver, Katherine Lovelidge and Krystal Aungst return as top contributors for Appleman. Lamana is expected to be catching for Silberman, while Helsel will play at first base, Lovelidge at second base, and Aungst and Graver in the outfield.

“Our pitching and hitting should be a strength,” Appleman said. “Emily Silberman is a junior now and has progressed to where I think this should be her best year. We should be able to hit throughout the lineup.”

Silberman is coming off a season where she picked up 15 wins on the mound and struck out 119 batters. She figures to be the consistent for the Lady Falcons again, but their main question will be throughout other positions on defense.

“We have youth and inexperience at a few defensive spots,” Appleman said. “The mental approach will be critical. We need to be mentally tougher and more mature.”

Sophomore Kayla Trenge and freshman Marcie Silberman are two newcomers that Appleman expects could contribute this season.

Salisbury travels to Allen for its season opener on Friday. Game time is set for 4:15 p.m.