After being part of a great finish in 2023, Lyons Township High School seniors Peyton O’Flaherty and Kaitlyn Filkins are encouraged by an even better start this softball season.
“I feel like we have a good bond,” Filkins said. “We’re very close already, so having that good bond is definitely going to show more on and off the field.”
The Lions are combining veterans with several new faces to build on 2023 — a 10-19 overall record with a 5-2 finish that included their first back-to-back regional titles since 2016-17 under first-year coach Megan Pyles, after starting 1-9.
LTHS scored double digit runs in four of those final victories, including 15-3 over Riverside Brookfield in five innings in the Class 4A RB Regional. LTHS lost to York 8-0 in the Marist Sectional semifinals.
So far, the Lions (0-2) lost to RBHS 3-1, Saturday in Western Springs, and 14-3 in five innings to defending 4A state champion Marist in Friday’s opener.
“Last season, we didn’t get hot until the end. We don’t have to get hot. It’s just an enjoyable environment [this season],” Pyles said.
“It’s really exciting at practices. The girls are constantly communicating. It’s just a different environment. This group clicks so well.”
O’Flaherty (Tennessee-Chattanooga) and Filkins (Benedictine) will play college softball.
Last season, O’Flaherty (.443 batting average, 1.266 OPS, 5 home runs, 35 RBIs) was one of the Lions’ two All-West Suburban Conference Silver Division selections with graduated Tess Meyer. LTHS tied for fourth in the Silver with a 5-7 record.
Lyons’ second baseman Ava Jacklin (11) throws out Riverside-Brookfield’s Emily Organ (12) at second base during a nonconference game Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons’ Peyton O’Flaherty (9) is greeted by teammates after hitting a homerun against Riverside-Brookfield during a nonconference game Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston 
Lyons’ shortstop Kaitlyn Filkins (14) camps under a infield pop up hit by Riverside-Brookfield during a nonconference game Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Western Springs. | Steve Johnston
O’Flaherty will play third base, her primary position in traveling softball, and shortstop. Leadoff hitter Filkins (.375, 4 HR, 16 RBIs) will play shortstop and catcher.
Seniors Ida Castro, Clare Kelliher and Arianna Amella, juniors Isabella Evans and Lucy Dreher and sophomores Ava Jacklin and Lucy Lee also return. Varsity newcomers are junior Maddie McLane, sophomore Avery Hicks and freshmen Julia Ahrens and Mary Sandman.
O’Flaherty already has homered in each of the first two games.
“I definitely wasn’t expecting it. I feel like I’m starting to get into my groove after winter, so it feels nice,” O’Flaherty said. “We definitely progressively got better over the span of [last] season so we’re hoping for that. We’re going to hopefully get used to each other and the way everybody plays so we can go pretty far as well.”
Outfielder Castro (.297, 2 HR, 19 RBIs) and second baseman Jacklin (.293, 19 RBIs) also started in 2023 and catcher/outfielder Amella played in 16 games. Dreher was a postseason call-up.
At pitcher, Lee made 15 appearances and 10 starts, striking out 38 in 54.2 innings.
Evans and Kelliher also bring varsity experience after both being injured last season. Evans returns as pitcher and will help offensively. Kelliher is the team’s lone slap hitter and will be part of a faster roster bolstered by Dreher and the newcomers.
Multi-sport Ahrens has played catcher and middle infield. Sandman, who usually plays on the left side of the infield, has moved to first base for the Lions and also pitches.
In Saturday’s junior varsity second game, Sandman’s walk-off, two-run single completed a wild 13-12 victory in which the Lions scored eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Counting that game, Sandman is hitting 4 for 9. Sandman (2 for 3) and Filkins doubled in the varsity game.
“As a team I’m going to set high goals for us, high expectations because I really do think we could go far this year,” Filkins said.
