The Troy All-Star softball teams have waited a little longer than their baseball counterparts to get the tournament season under way, but on Thursday night the Troy Angles will finally able to play ball.

The Angles will travel down to Opp for the district tournament. They will open up against the host team beginning at 6 p.m.

“We have been practicing for three weeks and the girls are ready to start playing,” said head coach Jimmy Sellers. “They are ready. Near the end of the three weeks, they get burned out of practicing. We have been proud of the girls. They have been working hard and now they are ready to roll.”

The Angels have a few players that have played on the same team, but the players are getting adjusted to their new roles with new teammates.

“A few of them play ball together year-round, so that helps us out a little,” Sellers said. “The few that didn’t connected really well. They all know each other, but coming together and playing together is a different story. Whatever position we put them in they give 100 percent. It’s been a great experience for us as coaches and for the girls.”

Troy will send four players to the pitching circle in the tournament. Alyssa Barron, Morgan Allen, Kristin Thompson and Beth Dixon will all look to log key innings for Troy. Barron and Allen will pitch the first two out of gates and Sellers will mix and match from there.

“We are going to see how it goes and mix the others in when we can,” Sellers said. “It (pitching) makes or breaks your team. If you can throw strikes you are going to be very competitive and it gives you a chance to win. If you don’t have pitchers that can throw strikes, it’s going to make for a long game.”

Sellers isn’t looking for his girls to strike out every batter. He believes his defense is good enough to shut down opposing offenses.

“We got a great defense,” Sellers said. “We want to be where they hit it and let us make the outs when they come to us.”

Sellers especially likes the play from the left side of his infield. Indi Carter has a powerful arm and shortstop Lakayla Sellers has the speed and the range to get to many ground balls.

“We have a third baseman with the strongest arm around,” Sellers said. “We know she can throw people out from third and that is a big plus at this age. Our shortstop, Lakayla Sellers, is one of the quickest girls on the team. She can stop anything that comes to her.”

Sellers also likes the potential of his outfield.

The Angels have plenty of speed to play small-ball at the plate, but Sellers believes a handful of his players have the ability to reach the fence.

“We have a very speedy team,” Sellers said. “We have players that can lay down the bunt when we ask them to, but we also have players that can hit it to the fence if they get a hold of it. As coaches, it’s fun because we can mix in the bunt to get someone on base and then we have someone that can knock them around.”

Addison Armstrong, Hailey Owens and Cheyenne Sneed will provide the power according to Sellers, while Barron, Dixon and Sellers will bring the speed.”

Along with Sellers, the Angels are coached by Neal Armstrong and Steve Barron. The players are Morgan Allen, Addison Armstrong, Alissa Barron, Adalyn Brown, Indi Carter, Madison Davis, Beth Dixon, Jada Jones, Hailey Owens, Lakayla Sellers, Cheyenne Sneed and Kristin Tompkins.