A balanced King’s Fork High School softball team has gotten off to a 1-1 start as it writes the chapter in its history that follows the Sydney Wash era.

“It’s always hard to replace a Division I pitcher,” Lady Bulldogs coach Richard Froemel said of Wash, who was a four-year letterman in softball at King’s Fork and is now pitching for the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

The first game of the 2016 season was a rough one for King’s Fork, though not necessarily because of its pitching. Visiting Hickory High School won 10-0 on March 17.

“Two things happened — we didn’t hit, and we committed a lot of errors,” Froemel said.

Not taking anything away from the Lady Hawks’ pitcher, he said, “We couldn’t stay off the rise ball,” but he also added that “we’re better than what we showed against Hickory.”

King’s Fork was on the positive end of a blowout the next day when it won 13-2 on the road against Indian River High School.

Froemel said the Lady Braves’ pitcher had a different style that his players had to adjust to. Because her pitches dropped significantly, King’s Fork batters had to move up.

“We moved up, and we got 17 hits on the girl,” he said. “Any time you can get 15 or more, that’s a good day hitting.”

Meanwhile, Lady Bulldogs senior Kay’Lee Justice got the win in the circle.

Froemel noted Justice has big shoes to fill at pitcher, “but she’s up for it.” Adding that her style of pitching will be different from Wash, he said, “she’s going to manage the game.”

She pitched all five innings against Indian River, throwing two strikeouts and allowing only one walk and four hits.

Twelve of King’s Fork’s 17 hits came from the first four batters in Froemel’s nine-batter rotation.

Junior leadoff batter Lauryn Bailey went 3-for-4 with a run batted in, sophomore Madison Froemel went 4-for-4 with four RBIs, Justice went 3-for-4 with a RBI and three runs scored and senior Lindsay Carlesi went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.

The 2016 Lady Bulldogs are made up of four seniors, four freshmen, three juniors and two sophomores.

They press on not only without Wash but also without shortstop Jasmine Holloman and first baseman Shaina Holland, key standouts who have also graduated.

Last year, King’s Fork went 14-8, advancing as far as the Region 4A South quarterfinals, where they lost 2-0 to host Hanover High School.

Conference 17 is the new home of the Lady Bulldogs this year, and Froemel said his team has the desire and talent to win it.

Of the challenging conference opponents, which include Great Bridge High School, Froemel said, “Deep Creek (High School’s) the one you’ve got to have your eye on.”

Helping Froemel have confidence in his defense this year is Bailey, who moved from catcher to shortstop, Carlesi, who has taken over at catcher, Madison Froemel, who plays at third base, and junior Danielle Arzillo, who plays at second base.

Those four returning infielders are joined by two returning outfielders — senior left fielder Susan Mounie and junior center fielder Mallory Moore.

Freshman Selina Saba, a transfer who attended Deep Creek Middle School last year, is looking like she will be the starter in right field, and sophomore Rachel Vick will likely be the starter at first base.

King’s Fork (1-1) hosts Western Branch High School on Wednesday.