The Phenix-Ramler softball team enjoyed a solid fall season. Pictured front row: Lauren Byrn, Maryanne Smith, Kaitlin Jorgensen, Alexis Finucane and Alex Hill. Back row: Jordan Erickson, Dellyn Hanson, Bailey Harrell, Madeline Brungardt and Sydney Ramler. Not pictured: Jalyn Brecheisen, Haley Schwartz, Pete Ramler and Kristina Young.

The fall softball season is coming to an end and Phenix-Ramler sits near the head of the pack.

The U12 Phenix made team history this weekend by emerging from pool play as the top seed in the fall qualifier tournament at Mid-America West Sports Complex in Shawnee.

They looked like one of the teams to beat after a 2-1 showing on Saturday. Rain canceled Sunday’s games, which will probably not be rescheduled, head coach Pete Ramler said.

Though they didn’t get to play out the tournament, the achievement was a fitting end to the Phenix season, one that Ramler said showcased the growth of his players.

For the majority of the players, the games over the spring and summer were their first taste of truly competitive softball. And Ramler said it showed.

“It took a little while for them to get to know each other. It was a little bit of a struggle,” Ramler said.

Once the fall league began, however, the Phenix, which included players from Lawrence, Baldwin City, Perry and Lecompton, began to show their improvements.

“They showed they were starting to come together at the end of the summer,” Ramler said. “In the fall, the goal was to continue building and continue to get better.”

They did get better, too.

This weekend’s loss was the only one of the season, a fact that stood out to Bailey Harrell, 11, the left fielder and third baseman.

“Last year we didn’t win a lot of games,” Harrell said. “This year we turned it around and we won a lot.”

Though the goal is always to have fun, Ramler said the importance of those wins went up a notch as the level of competition did.

“In the league we’re playing in, everybody wants to win, and every weekend is important,” Ramler said.

He said the key to this season’s improvement was a better understanding of all aspects of softball.

The girls have learned more about their positions and they understand the game and the level at which they have to play to be successful, Ramler said.

That practice and team chemistry made its mark on the field, and on both sides of the ball.

Ramler said the offense was much better than it had been in the earlier leagues, and that they were “scoring at a significantly higher pace than in the summer.”

Leadoff hitter Jordan Erickson has had a lot to do with that. With a batting average over .700, she had three home runs in league play, as well as a number of triples.

Assistant coaches Kristina Young and Mike Byrn worked specifically with the players on hitting, and Ramler said “they deserve all the credit for bringing the girls to the next level as far as the offense goes.”

On defense, Madeline Brungardt has anchored the infield after moving from third base to shortstop. Ramler said she had been playing extremely well.

Alexis Finucane and Sydney Ramler rotate between second base and right field and have been strong players as well.

“They have really come into their own,” Ramler said. “They really own those two positions.”

Those two aren’t the only ones trading off positions, though.

Ramler said many of the players are very interchangeable parts.

“They know multiple positions, so if we need to switch it up or get more playing time for someone, we can,” Ramler said.

Maryanne Smith is one of Phenix’s strongest pitchers, but Ramler said she had played a variety of roles.

“I mostly think of her as a pitcher,” Ramler said. “But she’s also been hitting very well.”

In all aspects, Ramler said his players have stepped up, which has been the reason for all their success.

“The defense is great, the hitting is coming along very well, and the pitching is very good,” Ramler said.

And although he might not have gotten to see what might have been at last weekend’s tournament, he could not have asked for much more.