The Ballard High School softball team finished its 2010 season with a 7-1 loss to Redmond, capping off a disappointing second half of the season in which the team lost eight of its final nine games.

That final run stands in stark contrast to the Beavers' seven victories in their first 11 games to start the season.

Despite the losses that dropped Ballard's record to 4-12 in KingCo and 8-12 overall, the team is heading in the right direction.

Ballard's eight wins are eight times its 2009 season total. Four of those wins came against good Sammamish, Newport, Issaquah and Skyline teams.

Prior to the 2009 season, softball participation at Ballard was at an all-time low, and the school couldn't field a junior varsity team. This season, 47 girls tried out for softball.

Ballard is losing only two seniors, Sophie Overlock-Pauley and Syrina Bailey, to graduation.

In addition, this season's eight-win team included six freshman, five of whom contributed regularly in big ways, that will return as experienced sophomore players next year.