BENNINGTON — It used to be, not that long ago, that Bennington High School softball was little more than an afterthought.

“It was kind of like whoever didn’t want to go out for track just came out for softball,” fifth-year coach April Saskowski said of her quest to not only make Bulldog softball relevant, but a Class 2-1A state power.

“When I took over this program, we wanted to change the culture of Bennington softball. So, it’s really been them kind of laying the foundation for sure, the last several years.”

Head coach April Saskowski

Part of the goal was achieved in each of the past two seasons when Bennington advanced to the sub-state finals for the first time in school history. In fact, the Bulldogs took a 21-1 record into last year’s postseason before finishing at 23-2, one game short of a first-ever state tournament appearance.

“They made school history, and then they matched it last year, and so they’re looking to take it a step further this year,” said Saskowski, who brings back all nine starters from the 2025 team and all but one from the year before.

The Bulldog players expect nothing less.

“I would say the pressure to be as good as we were last year is pretty high, just to keep the feeling for how well we did last year,” said junior catcher Rylee Benien, a third-year starter and first-team Heart of America all-conference selection. “Our fan base grew a lot, and that really helped us as a team.”

Junior catcher Rylee Benien

“I just feel like the pressure to win is there, but also the pushy from our teammates is there as well. It almost makes you want to push even harder.”

Junior shortstop Brooklyn Murk, a second team all-league pick, agreed.

Junior shortstop Brooklyn Murk

“I think the past two years of coming up short in regionals, I want to see us at state,” she said. “It’s been our goal since my freshman year.”

The Bulldogs got off to a good start on that quest last week with a season-opening doubleheader sweep of Remington. They face a bigger test Thursday at Inman against a Teutons team that handed them both of their losses last year, including the sub-state championship.

“Obviously, (the state tournament) is the goal, but I think our emphasis has to continue to be day-by-day, game-by-game,” Saskowski said. “We can’t overlook anybody and that’s just kind of how we’ve attacked each week.”

“You don’t play Inman every week, even though this has kind of been the big week for us and focusing on the team at hand.”

While Thursday’s doubleheader won’t make or break the Bulldogs’ season, it does serve as a measuring stick against an Inman team also returning most of its lineup from last year. The Teutons went on to finish second to Oskaloosa at state, with their lone regular season loss coming against Bennington.

For senior pitcher Haylee Blake, who recorded her 300th career strikeout last week against Remington, this season marks one last chance to get to finally reach that elusive state tournament.

Senior pitcher Haylee Blake

“It makes me sad to think that it’s (almost) over,” said Blake, one of just three starters among the nine seniors on Bennington’s roster. “But it also pushes me to want to do better and to go further.”

The underclassmen would like nothing more than to send their seniors out on top as well.

“We realize that they’ve given everything to us,” Benien said. “So, it’s kind of our time to help them get there their last year and give them that success to end on.”

Bennington certainly has the pieces in place to make a run. Benien, sophomore Gracie Caswell at second base and junior Brooklyn Clark at third base all received first team HOA League honors last year, with Blake, Murk and junior center fielder Mara Pickering named to the second team.

Sophomore second baseman Gracie Caswell

Caswell led the team with a .556 batting average and in stolen bases, while Clark hit eight home runs and senior left fielder Kailea Nisbeth was second in steals. Right fielder Alta Noon is the third senior starter, while junior Addyson Gillett starts at first base.

“On the batting side, we have a very powerful, strong lineup,” Saskowski said. “Defensively, I think we have the best defense in the state, and I would love to get to the state level and see where that matches up.”

“You don’t end up 21-1 without doing a lot of things well. They’re well rounded, but for them it’s not necessarily all about wins and losses, which is my culture. It’s a team team-first mentality.”

For the Bulldogs to reach their ultimate goal, that togetherness is critical, the players agreed.

“Our communication and our bond that we have,” Caswell said. “Everyone has to want it, and we’re all really close friends in school and outside of school.”

Team culture, Saskowski insists, is a key ingredient.

“They’ve set a good example of what we say Bulldog Proud should be,” she said. “It’s a team mentality of what’s best for everybody all around.”

The Bulldogs have nine seniors that continue to set the precedent for showing up and working hard every day.

And then there is that drive to finally get to state that fuels the Bulldogs’ fire.

“They are hungry,” Saskowski said. “We’ve ended up regional runner-up the last two seasons, and I’m pretty sure preparation for this season started on the bus ride home from Inman last season.”