BOURBON – Triton’s softball program was stocked full of bright personalities last spring. En route to the finest campaign in program history, the Lady Trojans set records in wins (23) and won its first regional title ever. The offense produced eye-popping statistics up and down the line, the pitching from Mallorie Jennings solidified her as the best-ever in the program. Everyone seemed to be happy to be along for the ride. Quietly, Halie Zimmerman was developing her character for what she hopes is an even bigger season.

Zimmerman didn’t say much on the bench. While in tune with chants and cheers in the dugout, the then-junior let her play do the talking between the chalk lines. Hitting a crisp .355, Zimmerman clubbed 10 doubles, drove in 23 and scored 16 runs as part of a Triton offense that hit .379 as a team.

“It’s hard to be a stand-out leader on this team because we have so many people who are leaders,” Zimmerman said in a nod to the team composition. “I haven’t really been all that outspoken, I’ve followed along. I’m adding that leadership role this year. As a senior I need to be that for the team.”

The outfield grass will be manned by a veteran core, with Zimmerman in left, Hannah Jennings in center and Lexee Lemler in right. All three settled into the positions, where Zimmerman said she felt at home in left after moving around the pasture her first three years. A snow cone catch in the semi-state game against North Miami still stands out as one of her finer moments, and hopes to have another chance to make a huge play in a huge moment again.

“The semi-state was so crazy,” Zimmerman said, noting Triton hadn’t faced a pitcher with the velocity like North Miami’s Josie Wood, who signed to play softball with Indiana University. “We really wanted it at semi-state. They were just better than us there. It was really sad to lose, but we were very happy to get that far.”

Zimmerman has elevated through the Triton ranks like many of her teammates. Donning the spikes and glove for the first time in elementary school, Zimmerman chose to just focus on softball. Youth leagues and into travel ball her first two years of high school solidified her love affair with the game. While she would love to continue the game at the next level, school is just as important.

“We were definitely motivated by the people who told us we couldn’t win, that there was no way we could win a regional or semi-state,” the outfielder said. “We’ve been working hard to get back there.

“I would love to play in college, but I also want to make sure college has what I want to do, and not every school has that,” Zimmerman said, hoping to study occupational therapy in college. “I just want my senior year to be memorable. I’m excited for it to begin.”

Zimmerman and her Triton teammates will have a huge test right away, opening the season April 6 at home against Alexa Holland and 3-A state power Rochester.