Heading into her senior season, Dowagiac outfielder Riley Daly was looking to improve and to help her team improve.

Daly has gotten off to a great start for the 8-3 Chieftains, who will host Sturgis today in a Wolverine Conference non-divisional doubleheader at 4 p.m.

On Saturday, Daly racked up four hits, including a home run and six RBIs as Dowagiac went 2-1 at its own Chieftain Invitational.

For the season, Daly is hitting .417 with three doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

“She is picking up right where she left off,” Dowagiac coach Mike Behnke said. “She had a great May last season and she has started off this year by hitting with even more power. She has had some big two-out hits for us to start the season and that is what a senior should do.”

“I want us to a good season and I want to hit the ball as well as I can so our team can be better than it was last year.” Daly said.

Daly played travel ball over the summer, which helped her gain experience facing other types of pitchers.

“It really made me focus on what I was going wrong,” she said. “I also worked on my fielding.”

On a team that features a pretty young roster, Behnke is glad to have Daly in his lineup.

“She is our team leader,” he said. “If you hear somebody out there talking it is Riley Daly. She is always telling people what to do, and it is not only the outfield where she plays, but the infield. She is a great leader in the dugout and she keeps people focused on the game.”

Daly said her team needs to stay positive if it wants to improve.

“It is the little things,” she said. “We have a tight bond. We just need to stay positive because we are doing some great things.”