Entering the season, Kevin Moody didn't know much about his Hilliard Bradley High School softball team.

The coach knew that he was bringing with him from Hilliard Darby an all-state-caliber pitcher in junior Kellie Roudabush, but the rest of the puzzle remained scattered throughout the dugout.

But as the Jaguars enter their first Division II district tournament as the top seed, they also earned an OCC-Capital Division title in the program's first season.

"Any time you start fresh at a place and have really no idea of what you are going to have for a team, it makes (winning a title) pretty special," said Moody, who was at Hilliard High School for 13 years before coaching Darby for the past 12 seasons. "I would have to put this up there with the first (league title) at Hilliard and then at Darby."

Roudabush won an OCC-Central title as a freshman at Darby, but the Panthers finished second in the league to Upper Arlington last season.

"I think this one is sweeter this year (than the league title in 2008)," Roudabush said. "This is a first-year team and a new program and I don't think anyone in the league expected a first-year team would go out and win the league."

Bradley finished 13-1 in the league, with its only loss coming to second-place Mount Vernon, which was 11-3. Delaware was third at 9-5, followed by Big Walnut, New Albany and Olentangy Orange all at 6-8. Watkins Memorial was seventh at 4-10 and Franklin Heights was 1-13.

"We had nothing to lose," said Roudabush, whose team was 19-5 before playing Ready last Wednesday. "No one knew what we had or what we didn't have. We had one downfall to Mount Vernon (2-0 loss on April 12), but we came back and took care of business in the second game with them (1-0 win on April 28)."

Moody said the program had mostly a clean slate at the beginning of practice.

"We didn't have any expectations coming in," he said. "We knew we had Kellie coming in pitching, but we also knew she was a good hitter and would be an offensive threat.

"We knew Katie Dunnagan could play first base and (right-fielder) Jordan Camp played some at the varsity level. The rest were pretty unknown, but really stepped up and did what they needed to do to win."

To prepare for the postseason, Bradley played Grove City and Lakewood last Saturday. The Jaguars beat Division I top-seeded Grove City 6-3, but lost to Lakewood, the Division II No. 2 seed, 13-2 in five innings.

"Those were just games to get some innings in," Roudabush said. "Grove City didn't throw its top pitcher (Miami University-signee Paige Myers) and I didn't throw against Lakewood. I don't think either team wanted to show its strengths in case we played down the road."

That possible meeting with the two-time defending Division III state champion Lancers would not come until a regional final May 29 at Bucyrus.

But first, the Jaguars will play at home today against Columbus East. The Tigers were 0-12 before last Monday.

The winner plays in a district semifinal at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pickerington Central against Buckeye Valley, Hamilton Township or sixth-seeded DeSales. The Stallions were 17-7 after beating Heath 6-0 last Friday.

"East has struggled this year, but we're going to have to play well if we play DeSales," Moody said. "We're going to have to be ready to play because they're a good team and we will have to play all-out if we're going to win that and move on."

The Jaguars played a Division I schedule as they enter the postseason, but Moody said that can only take a team so far.

"When you get to the postseason, most everyone has a good pitcher and can hit the ball," Moody said. "The biggest difference between Division I and Division II is the number of teams."

At a glance

Below are the recent results and coming schedules for the Bradley, Darby and Davidson softball teams:

BRADLEY

May 4 - Defeated Darby 6-0 in Strikeout for the Cure Tournament. Kellie Roudabush threw a one-hitter.

*May 5 - Def. Watkins Memorial 14-3. Roudabush hit a two-run homer in the Jaguars' 17-hit attack.

May 6 - Lost to North Union 2-1

Last Saturday - Def. Grove City 6-3; Lost to Lakewood 13-2 in five innings

Last Wednesday - Played Ready

Today - Home vs. Columbus East in second round of Division II district tournament after the top-seeded Jaguars had a first-round bye. Winner plays Buckeye Valley, Hamilton Township or sixth-seeded DeSales in district semifinal on Tuesday at Pickerington Central. That winner plays fourth-seeded Granville, 12th-seeded Olentangy Orange, Bexley, fifth-seeded Jonathan Alder, eighth-seeded Big Walnut or Mifflin in a district final on May 20 at Central.

Of note: The Jaguars were 19-5 overall before last Wednesday and finished 13-1 in the OCC-Capital.

DARBY

May 4 - Lost to Bradley 6-0 in Strikeout for the Cure Tournament

*May 5 - Lost to Davidson 7-2. The Panthers led 1-0 after three innings, but the Wildcats scored the next seven runs.

*May 6 - Lost to Upper Arlington 5-4 in 10 innings in makeup from April 26

Last Monday - Def. Columbus West 10-0 in first round of Division I district tournament

Last Wednesday - Played eighth-seeded Teays Valley in second round. Winner plays fourth-seeded Central Crossing or Dresden Tri-Valley in district semifinal at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Pickerington Central. That winner plays third-seeded Pickerington Central, Thomas Worthington, seventh-seeded Marysville or Westerville South in a district final at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Central.

Of note: The Panthers were 14-13 overall before last Wednesday and finished 7-7 in the OCC-Central.

*OCC-Central game

DAVIDSON

*May 3 - Lost to Upper Arlington 6-1

*May 5 - Def. Darby 7-2. Mallory Sodders hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning that extended a 3-1 lead and broke the game open.

May 6 - Def. Watterson 8-0. The Wildcats used a seven-run third inning.

Last Wednesday - Played Lancaster in second round of Division I district tournament after the sixth-seeded Wildcats had a first-round bye. Winner plays 11th-seeded Olentangy Liberty or New Albany in a district semifinal at 5 p.m. Monday at Pickerington Central. That winner plays top-seeded Grove City, Dublin Jerome, Delaware or Westerville North in a district final at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Central.

Of note: The Wildcats were 21-6 overall before last Wednesday and finished 10-4 in OCC-Central.

*OCC-Central game