This past Friday the Manhattan High softball team fell in both games of the doubleheader to Emporia at home, 2-13 and 6-9. The team is trying to forget about the loss and move on to postseason play happening today.

“We’ve played a lot more as a team then we have these last two games,” senior McKenna Claussen said. “Even though we didn’t win we were more enthusiastic and staying in the game when we were stringing hits along. [Emporia] was just able to find the pitch a lot better and being able to hit the ball. It wasn’t really any one thing that they did, they were just able to find the ball and place it.”

Although it has been tough for the team to find wins this season, the goal this postseason is simple still.

“[Our goal is] to win,” Claussen said. “[Including] playing as a team and seeing how far we can go.”

Head coach Connie Miller is looking at the playoffs in one way, survive and advance.

“[We need to] compete and win as many games as we can,” Miller said. “It’s pretty straight forward, you either win or your done. Even in the face of losing a game, I just want us to compete and play well.”

While this is some of the underclassmen first go around at a postseason, they will look up to experienced and senior players.

“[Us underclassmen] will be looking for communication and leadership,” sophomore Ellie Hacker said. “Encouragement from them as well.”

While the underclassmen will be looking up to them, the seniors will be helping them out in any way possible.

“[We’ll give them] the confidence that they may not feel they have yet but we’ll support them any way we can,” Claussen said. “I believe that the underclassmen will do just fine with what they’ve been able to do so far.”

The team will travel to Derby today to face off with Dodge City in their first game in a hunt for a State tournament berth.