The sting of last year’s state championship loss to Winter Springs hasn’t faded for Niceville softball. If anything, it’s become fuel.

• The Lady Eagles have raced out to a 4-1 start this season, reeling off four consecutive wins after a season-opening loss to a better-than-expected Gulf Breeze team. And Head Coach Danny Hensley believes that the bitter ending in last year’s Class 6A title game is a big reason why.

“It’s something that’s made us hungry,” Hensley said. “When we left down there, it gave us a bitter taste in our mouths and it gave us something to come back up here and work for.”

Last season’s state championship appearance was Niceville’s seventh under Hensley, who guided the Lady Eagles to their lone state title in 2011. The loss to Winter Springs — the same team Niceville had beaten in the first round the year before — stung in a way that stuck with the roster.

But here’s what makes this year’s team particularly dangerous: Niceville lost just two seniors from that state runner-up squad — Emma Sites and Emma Kowal. That means virtually every core contributor is back.

At the center of it all is South Alabama commit Chloe Bailey, a two-way star who is arguably one of the best softball players in the Panhandle. Last season, Bailey posted a 0.71 ERA with 266 strikeouts on the mound while adding five home runs and 25 RBIs at the plate. Through the early going this year, she already has a 1.00 ERA, 36 strikeouts and a home run.

Hensley sees her as more than just his most talented player.

• “She’s huge. Not only with her pitching ability, but her work ethic and attitude,” Hensley said. “She’s the first one out here, last one out at practice.”

Bailey is far from the only threat in the Niceville lineup. Briana Noles hit seven home runs with 23 RBIs last season. Emerging freshman Sydney Hann has already gone deep this year and is quickly becoming a key piece of the roster. Natalie Miller has collected four hits so far, and Brenna Cooke is leading the team in batting average. Krissa Troutman came up clutch in big moments throughout last year’s postseason run.

Then there’s a defensive trio of Molly Mayfield, Kaylee McKissack and Annabelle Shackelford. While all three contribute at the plate, their real value comes in the field, where they rank among the best defenders in Okaloosa County.

Mayfield was the school’s Varsity Defensive MVP, Golden Glove Award Winner, and Top 25 Regional Catcher by Extra Inning Softball x MaxPreps. She is also ranked #8 in Florida 5A for fielding % (.996).

It’s that defensive play that has impressed Hensley the most through the early portion of the schedule.

• “Defense. Our defense has played well so far,” Hensley said. “Good defense, good pitching, that means the hitting’s going to come down the road.”

Still, Hensley sees room for improvement — particularly in his team’s approach at the plate.

“Discipline at the plate. We’re swinging at too many bad pitches right now and we’ve got to do a better job,” Hensley said. “If we can figure out discipline, we can go on a run.”

With an elite two-way ace, a deep lineup of returning contributors, proven defenders and a coaching legend on the bench, the pieces are in place for Niceville to make another deep postseason run — and perhaps finish what last year’s team started.