If there was an emoji that described the Central softball team’s first 11 games, it would be fire.

The Wildcats have won 10 of their first 11 games and are in the middle of an eight-game winning streak. No team in the GNAC has matched Central’s start.

The hot start has been keyed by some early heroics.

In a game against Notre Dame de Namur University, the Wildcats were down 2-1 with one out remaining in the seventh inning. But junior shortstop Taylor Ferleman tied up the game with an RBI single, then senior Brielle Copodonna hit a grand slam to give them a 6-2 lead and the win.

“One thing we always talked about is being excellent,” head coach Mike Larabee said. “Right now, after a couple weeks in the GNAC, we’re number one [in] pitching, we’re number one [in] defense, and number two behind Saint Martin’s in hitting. So we’re basically hitting on all cylinders right now.”

During a six-win road trip to California, Ferleman was named GNAC Player of the Week. That week, she hit .480 with seven RBIs.

“It never happened before, so it caught me by surprise. I wasn’t really ready for it, but it’s an honor and a lot of people deserve it,” Ferleman said. “They just happen to pick me this week.”

Ferleman put up some impressive numbers last season, but only played in 16 games after a broken wrist prematurely ended her season.

In the two weekends the Wildcats have played, junior pitcher Kianna Wood has won GNAC Pitcher of the Week.

“It’s a pretty good confidence booster for the season,” Wood said.

Wood has a 1.45 ERA, third in the GNAC, and a 6-0 record overall, which ties her win total from all of last season.

Wood has succeeded in keeping the ball out of the middle of the plate. Larabee liked her location with the ball and has attributed her success to this.

Copodonna, Central’s other starting pitcher, posted a 2.14 ERA, good for fifth in the GNAC, with a 4-1 record.

“The biggest thing for our pitchers is they’re not walking a lot of hitters, they’re really locating well,” Larabee said.

Larabee will continue alternating between Wood and Copodonna in double-headers. If one of the pitchers gets in trouble, he’ll bring in the other to relieve them.

On days Copodonna does not pitch, Larabee has her play as the designated player (DP), so she can stay in the lineup offensively where she is hitting .296, with two home runs and eight RBIs.

Larabee calls Copodonna “lightning in a bottle.” He thinks the five-spot in the lineup is a good spot for her.

“I said, ‘Hey, is it going to tire you out hitting?’ And she goes, ‘Coach I’ve been doing it all my life,’” Larabee said.

The strategy behind Copodonna being in the DP spot is so she can replace Wood as the pitcher, and Wood could still re-enter one more time.  

Larabee said he felt that leadoff hitter Sammy Morris was hitting a lot of lazy fly balls to left field, so he dropped her down to the nine hole for three games to send Morris a message.

After he brought her back up to leadoff, she went five-for-five, tying a school record.

“She’s gotta get on top of the ball and hit the ball on the ground hard or hit line drives,” Larabee said. “Those lazy fly balls aren’t going to do anything for us.”

Ferleman likes the heart, confidence and no-quit attitude the team has.

“Our first two weeks have been phenomenal, hopefully we can keep it going,” Ferleman said. “We have something special for sure.”