The Lunenburg Girls’ Softball (LGS) Ponytails All-Star team had a short run this year, but the squad left its manager pleased with its effort.

“I was very proud of all my girls,” Manager Bobby Newcomb said. “Every one of them worked really hard in practice and gave great effort.”

The LGS Ponytails All-Stars made their debut in the District 1 Dixie Softball Ponytails X-Play All-Star Tournament on June 23 in Farmville. They fell narrowly 7-5 to the Dinwiddie All-Star team.

“The first game, we were really in it,” Newcomb said. “We were leading or tied most of it. (It) kind of got away from us right there at the end. They took the lead, and we were in position to come back and win it, but it just didn’t quite happen.”

The next day, the LGS squad lost 16-6 to the Clarksville All-Star team.

“In the second game, we started out hitting the ball, but it just wound up going to someone — couldn’t find the gaps,” Newcomb said.

The second loss ended the season for the LGS team, keeping it from having the opportunity to advance to the state tournament.

The coach said his team’s best game was the one against Dinwiddie because “almost every position, they all just made really good plays. We had some excellent defensive plays. The girls put the bat on the ball, just did very well.”

Newcomb noted the squad, comprised of 11- and 12-year-olds, had about an even split between the ages, meaning about half of the team may have the opportunity to represent LGS as a 2018 Ponytail All-Star.

Adding that every one of his players gave 100 percent this year, Newcomb said, “That particular tournament just didn’t really reflect on how good they really are.”