As spring begins making its way onto campus, the University of Dayton softball season is already in full swing.

Coming into this season, the Flyers were looking to build on last year and make a name for themselves in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

"We expect to make it to the A-10 Tournament, and I know we have the talent and drive to get there," senior Anne Maci said. "I hope that we will be blessed with an even better season this year, and that we will turn some heads with our aggressive offensive approach."

So far the team is 6-9 in the young season, but has lost by no more than three runs in six of those nine losses.

Maci has anchored the offense, along with freshman Kathleen Maloof. A freshman outfielder, Maloof currently leads the team in both hits and average with a .395 clip. Maci is right behind her with a .333 average.

"I have been impressed by the consistency of Kathleen Maloof in our offensive line up," Maci said of her teammate. "She is a vital part of our offense. She approaches each game with confidence and focus."

The Flyers are coming off their latest tournament in Charleston, S.C. There they went 2-2, compiling wins against UNC Wilmington twice, but falling to Presbyterian and Charleston Southern.

In the tournament finale against Presbyterian, the team overcame a three-run-deficit in the first inning to win 4-3. Afterward Maci and Maloof were honored by being named to the all-tournament team.

The senior-freshman pair combined for 10 hits over the four game span, good enough for over a third of the team's total.

"I think the team is still progressing," Maci said. "We are working on perfecting all aspects of our game, not just focusing on one part."

The Flyers will continue to play non-conference games until the end of March, including the home opener March 16 against IPFW.

For the remainder of the season though, the team is looking to improve every day.

"I hope that we will be able to continue with our progress and will peak around time for conference play," Maci said. "I am not worried about mistakes we make now, as long as we learn from them before conference games start."