The long-term future of Clay high school may be in jeopardy, but two seniors are out to prove that Clay is still a force to be reckoned with on the diamond.

"This is their high school," South Bend Clay Head Softball Coach Katie Rodriguez said. "This is where they want to be. We are going to try our best every year until we are no longer a high school."

Over the past three seasons, the Colonials have posted two top-five finishes in a loaded Northern Indiana Conference, anchored by pitcher Faith Hyduk and catcher Hailey Wolf, a battery that’s been together since the beginning.

"Me and Hailey have been playing softball since we were 14 years old on a travel ball team," Hyduk said. "We really just connect. We talk a lot about pitching and catching. After every inning, we’ll talk about what pitches we're going to throw. We just have a really good relationship."

"It's all communication," Wolf said. "I talk to her we see what's working and what's not and we go on from there. If one of us is down, we stop the clock, we go out there, we talk. It's like a sisterhood bond."

Since their junior years, Wolf has taken over all pitch-calling duties and has caught all of Hyduk’s more than 400 career strikeouts.

"Hailey Wolf, our catcher, has been the backbone, the quarterback, of this team since her sophomore year," Rodriguez said. She has caught every game. She works with Faith, she knows the batters, and she knows what's working with Faith. On game days she does an amazing job.”

The senior tandem won’t quit playing together either.

Both are signed on to play for the next 4 years at Bethel University.

But first, they have unfinished business to take care of in this year’s sectional.

"With the school closing it gives me motivation," Hyduk said. "To show what Clay has and what we can do as a team to show that the school is worth something."

The Colonials continue their sectional run Thursday night against New Prairie. The winner advances to the 3A Jimtown Sectional Final.