With school starting Monday, it could only mean that one of Effingham County High School’s most successful sports is about to start — fast pitch softball.

The Lady Rebels know a thing or two about winning. The team has not lost a regular season region game the past five years and has advanced to the state playoffs the past six years.

ECHS coach Tesh Pace, who is entering her third year as the skipper, doesn’t see that changing.

“They just work really hard,” she said. “I told the girls they need to have a goal of doing better each year. I like hard work.”

The Lady Rebels return their starting battery from last season in senior catcher Emily Fogle and pitcher Shelby Duff.

To prepare for a challenging season, the Lady Rebels are scrimmaging one of the top softball teams in the area, the Calvary Day School Lady Cavaliers, at 4:30 p.m. today.

“The main thing because it is a scrimmage is to find out what we need to work on to prepare for the season,” Pace said. “We’re not going to take it easy. We’re going to play like we need to play.”

Admission to the scrimmage is $3.

The Lady Rebels hope to start the season off on the right foot Aug. 17 when the team travels to South Effingham for a 7 p.m. game.

The Lady Mustangs have won five of the last six against Effingham.