Emma Hawthorne will enter her junior season behind the plate for the Hallsville Ladycats with high expectations for her team and a big personal decision behind her.

In early March, with her team enjoying a solid start to the 2020 softball season, Emma Hawthorne’s senior year at Northwestern State University came to a grinding halt.

Northwestern softball is in the state's elite as the lady Tigers will be taking on District I champion Interboro on Thursday at 4:00 in Boyertown.