Midway through the summer, the reigning Class AAAA runner-up is hard at work in hopes of returning to the championship.

The Eastside Lady Eagles and head coach Heather Wood have stayed busy this offseason as they are set to return a team that has its fair share of experience.

Last year’s team only featured a few seniors, so many of the team’s top producers back in the lineup for Wood.

“We are excited to get started. We feel we have a strong team in all phases,” Wood said. “We have key players returning, we have experience and a strong group of seniors that will supply the team with leadership. We are excited for the season.”

However, Wood noted that there seems to be a little more at stake for the seniors as they prepare for what will be their final shot at a state title.

“We do have a very strong senior group, they are a special group,” Wood said. “They have really experienced big wins together and hard losses over the years. This year, they understand their window is closing. I expect them to play with a sense of urgency knowing that every moment counts. That is something they are really going to hone in on. They all contribute to this team in many ways and they all lead in many ways.”

For Wood, there is no one true leader for the Lady Eagles.

Instead, it is the entire senior group, which consists of a few players that have started since day one at Eastside.

Wood is set to return a senior group that consists of players such as Donee Morain, Allie Vaughn, Eva Davis, Kylee Lawrence, Savanna Griffin, Avery Jewell and Cadence McCullough.

For the Lady Eagles skipper, this group embodies what it means to be a part of the Eastside softball program.

“I want to emphasize this because we have seven seniors and they were also seven starters for us last year. They really all contribute in the leadership role,” Wood said. “Donee Morain is a key player for us, she is a rock on our team and holds down our infield. She is someone that I trust to lead without having to say anything about it. Just the way she carries herself, the way she plays the game and her ability to connect with people.

“Allie Vaughn is another one due to her performance and her leadership. She sets a great example day-in and day-out. She is very dependable, smart, and sets a good example for the players. Eva Davis has been solid in the circle for us for a long time, she puts in a lot of work in the offseason so I expect a lot out of her and I am just looking forward to what she is going to accomplish this year as a senior. Kylee Lawrene [is] another that is just a great presence on the field and in the circle. Her and Eva complement each other very well.”

Players such as Morain and Vaughn provided the slug for the Lady Eagles as both maintained slugging percentages well over .800. In fact, Morain ended her junior season with a batting average north of .500 as she tallied 51 hits in just 101 at-bats.

On the mound, Davis and Lawrence are set to bring back Eastside's one-two punch in the circle.

Both pitchers eclipsed the 10-win mark in 2024 as Lawrene and Davis finished with earned run averages of 1.59 and 2.36, respectively.

When they are not pitching, Lawrence and Davis showed they can handle their own at the plate, too. Both pitchers finished the year with an OPS above 1.000.

Although she did not want to make any guarantees with how the team spreads their innings this year, Wood shared that there may be some new faces taking the mound throughout the season.

“We do have some young pitchers that will get time in the circle,” Wood said. “We have some young arms that we are definitely excited about and will get time. The thing this year is that even though we do have a lot of returning players and a lot of experience, we also have to get our younger ones ready for when this team exits.”

Two young players that made an immediate impact last year in a veteran-filled lineup are sisters Alyssa and Ansley Hartman.

Both Alyssa and Ansley are upcoming sophomores and Wood expects that they will take another leap after what was an impressive freshman season for both.

“They really hit the ground running last year and have fit into our softball culture here and our program very well,” Wood said. “Those are two that will only get better every year and they have already grown so much since their freshman year. They have really put in the time and have honed in on their offseason preparation. I am excited, I expect them to contribute even more next year.”

Amongst the senior group, there are multiple players that have already committed to play at the next level.

Last October, Vaughn announced her commitment to play softball at Coastal Carolina. A month later, Morain announced her commitment to play for Georgia Tech.

Then on the first day of 2025, Lawrence announced her commitment to the University of Memphis. This June, McCullough announced her commitment to Georgia Highlands College.

For Wood, the joy is seeing the players develop through her program before ultimately becoming college-level ballplayers.

“It has been so exciting to watch this group because they really represent what the player development is for our program because they have gotten better and mature every single year.” Wood said. “We get players in but these players have been playing since they were freshmen. It’s been really exciting watching them and they’re ready. They’re ready for that next level.”