The Butler softball team is gearing up for its 2013 spring campaign without seven players from last year’s team.

Last season, the Bulldogs finished with an overall record of 25-32 and 13-11 in the Horizon League.

Butler graduated six seniors from last year’s team, and Kayla Gray will forgo her final year of eligibility due to injury.

Gray started 52 of the 57 games last year and played in 142 games in her Butler career.

Butler produced 207 runs with a .331 on base percentage and 28 home runs in just 57 games last season.

Coach Scott Hall is in his third year at Butler. The Bulldogs will be hitting the Atlantic 10 for their inaugural season.

“I’m excited for the change,” Hall said. “Butler is a better fit for the A-10.”

Before Butler battles anyone, they must compete amongst themselves first. With players graduating, the possibility of playing time has opened up.

“We have always had to compete, but it’s a little more intense this year,” junior Callie Dennison said. “In the end, it doesn’t matter who’s on the field because we are a team first.”

The young Butler team will have nine freshman  and six sophomores of its 23 players on the roster.

“I think having so much youth this year could be seen as a challenge, but everybody is willing to put in the extra work in order to make themselves and the team better,” freshman infielder Krosley Ogden said. “We have a lot of great athletes, and I don’t see age having anything to do with that.”

Ogden said the team has many goals for itself, including to compete in its new conference.

“Just like all the other athletic programs at Butler,” Ogden said, “we really want to compete in our new conference and ultimately win the tournament.”