Softball players tend to say their teammates are like sisters. But in the case of three Garland players, that's literally the truth.

First baseman Kelsie Garner and right fielder Kandice Garner, both seniors, are fraternal twins. They play with their youngest sister, junior catcher Kodie Garner.

All three should start for Garland (29-5-2) in this week's regional final against Tomball (17-13). Kelsie and Kandice have played together since they were 5. That's when their mother, Kim, a former high school softball player, introduced them to the sport.

Kodie joined them when she was 5. Eventually, she played with a different age group. Last season, the sisters reunited for Garland's second state championship.

"When you celebrate that with your family," coach Cindy Mosteller said, "that's just a neater deal."

Kelsie is more laid-back. She has a GPA of 4.6. She also behaves like the oldest, having been born one minute ahead of Kandice.

Kandice is the funny one. Mosteller said she nicknamed her "Day Brightener" because "she always has a smile." Kodie is sociable and rebellious. As the youngest, she said she gets picked on by her sisters.

The days of the sisters playing together are winding down. Kelsie plans to attend Texas Tech and Kandice will go to Sam Houston State, where ace pitcher Tomi Garrison signed.

The twins will play this summer in a slow-pitch league. Next season, Kodie will be the only Garner left in Garland.

"I will probably miss them," Kodie said.

For Haley Wagner, this has been a school year of coping with changes.

The McKinney North freshman learned a different way to bat and continued to work at a new position. She also dealt with moving from Carrollton.

But her biggest change was losing an important person in her life.

Her brother Charles died at the age of 25 last August from a heart attack and a grand mal seizure after an epilepsy attack.

"Every day, I think about him," she said. "There are times when it's harder than others. I usually go out and hit in a batting cage to relieve that."

Haley mourned the loss with schoolmates she had just met. But they knew, Haley said, not to make a big deal out of it and to let her use sports as an outlet.

So she did with volleyball and then softball. Wagner became the only freshman to start for McKinney North (28-8-2), which faces Waco Midway (26-5) in the regional finals.

Wagner, converted from third baseman to center fielder in the last year, made a diving catch to keep Ashliegh McLean's no-hitter intact in Game 1 last week against Waxahachie. She also went 6-for-9 in the series.

So Wagner could take advantage of her speed, coach Dan Sedgwick turned her into a left-handed batter. Batting ninth, she gets on base a lot and is fast enough that she won't slow down the team's next batter – speedy leadoff hitter Kathy Shelton.

Wagner said she feels grateful for what McKinney North has done for her. But last summer, she said, she had a tough time coping.

"I never really liked change in the first place," Wagner said.