FARMINGTON − No matter what the weather looks like at the moment, the turning of the season is upon us, and with it comes the renewal of high school softball and baseball seasons.

Local and area prep teams are busy making final plans now for what could be another competitive run in district and non-district campaigns.

Here's a preview of some of the top teams heading onto the diamonds.

High school softball

Piedra Vista High School head softball coach Kevin Werth is busy making plans for another run at both district and state championships as the team will open its season Thursday, March 2 on the road against Roswell.

The Lady Panthers finished last season in the Class 5A state tournament, losing 2-0 in the third round to eventual state runner-up Centennial. Piedra Vista finished second behind La Cueva in District 2-5A with an overall record of 20-11 (7-3 District). Both teams are expected to bring back some important stars this season.

"They return just about everyone, so knocking them off will be a tough task," Werth said of the Lady Bears. "District will always be tough, as Sandia brings back some solid players and Farmington may be younger this year but they're well-coached and ready for game day."

Emma Lovato will return to Piedra Vista's team for her senior season. Lovato went 10-3 last year for the Lady Panthers, striking out 188 batters and allowing only 21 earned runs. She will be aided behind the plate by senior Adryanna Snyder, who recorded a fielding percentage of .996 last season, committing only one error in 26 games.

"We return a really good group of kids this season and we're hoping to improve on last season's finish," Werth said. "(Lovato) has one of the best arms in the state and gives us a shot every outing."

The Lady Panthers have won more than 180 games and lost only 89 over the course of the past 10 seasons, which includes a pair of state championships.

"We hope to stay healthy, improve each week and peak at the right time of the season," Werth said.

In Class 4A, the Aztec High softball team will be looking to make another serious run at a state title after an impressive season came to an end last year at the hands of Valley High.

Coached by Joshua French, the Lady Tigers will open the season on Saturday on the road against Volcano Vista. Aztec will once again have its hands full with District 1-4A rival Gallup, which finished last season winning 16 consecutive games on its way to a state Class 4A title, beating Lovington by a final of 8-0.

High school baseball

Both Farmington and Piedra Vista High School baseball teams wound up looking up at the standings in District 2-5A last season, with the Scorpions finishing with a record of 20-8 and the Panthers finishing with a mark of 14-14.

Farmington had a sensational start to the season, going into the district campaign with a 14-4 mark but dropped a pair of games to La Cueva and lost a key matchup against eventual state runner-up Sandia. La Cueva, winners of the Class 5A state title in both 2019 and 2021, figure to be right there once again as key rivals for both Farmington and Piedra Vista.

The Scorpions will open the season on the road with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader against Miyamura, while Piedra Vista will open the season in tournament action Thursday at 4:30 p.m. against Hobbs.

In Class 4A, Aztec head coach Eli Wyatt will be hoping for a successful title defense of the District 1-4A crown. To do that, he'll be relying on some newcomers to the starting roster.

"We have a much younger team this season and some holes to fill considering a few powerhouse graduates from last season," Wyatt said. "I'm excited to build from last year's successes and challenges."

Gone from this year's squad are Ryan Ray, who batted .524 last season with 46 runs batted in, as well as Elijah Wyatt, who owns the record for most doubles in a season with 21 of them last year.

Kaleb Thornburg will be asked to supply a bit of the Tigers offense this season. The returning junior batted .318 last season with 26 runs scored and 18 runs batted in, while senior Jacob Prada-Johnson drove in 23 runs last season.

"We've got some really clear goals and have established individual and program expectations to help us reach them," Wyatt said. "We're focused on repeating as district champions and taking a run at the state title."

The Tigers open its season in tournament action on Saturday, on the road taking on Page (Ariz.) and Holbrook High Schools.

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Spring sports season kicks off with baseball and softball games