The Gooch family is represented by senior Ashton in left field (and sometimes pitching) and junior Alexis at shortstop, and the Patterson family has senior Becca at first base and sophomore Alissa catching.
"I think they play well together because they're sisters," said Leffew.
And each of the four girls says softball has brought her closer to her sister.
"I think it's made us closer, just having to come together as a team," Ashton Gooch said.
In the case of each family, it's also one of the few activities the two girls share.
"Besides softball, we don't really have anything in common," Alexis Gooch said. "(Ashton) has volleyball and I have soccer, so this is really the only thing that we do together."
"(Alissa) has basketball, and I don't do basketball," Becca Patterson said. "I tried basketball, but she was always better so I just quit."
All four girls are already veterans in the Lincoln lineup, and they're trying to help the Patriots get untracked after a slow start.
"We're struggling right now but we'll get it together. It's still early," Alexis Gooch said. "We didn't have any seniors last year, so we didn't lose anybody and we've gotten better this year."
Becca Patterson has started for two years at first base, and Alissa became a part-time starter last season at catcher.
Ashton Gooch was a part-time starter in her freshman year and has been in the lineup ever since, first at second base, then as the pitcher and now in the outfield when she isn't pitching, while Alexis is in her second year as the regular shortstop.
"I think that helps a lot with them both being starters," Leffew said.
"I guess where we grew up together we kind of know what each other's going to do," Alissa Patterson said.
Increasing competition
The girls said it also helps when it comes to keeping the peace at home, and they said it can be a motivating factor as well.
"I think it makes me more competitive," Becca Patterson said. "I don't want her to come up and beat me and start over me, so it makes me want to do better."
Alexis Gooch said there is also a benefit to being able to share your experiences on the field with someone who was there.
"So we can have somebody to talk to about the game when we get home that actually experienced it, that can be mad with me if we lost or happy if we won," she said.
"We can also help each other out with things that we think each other can improve on, and we see the mistakes from another person's point of view," Ashton Gooch added.
But she later said that isn't always a good thing.
"Sometimes you don't want to hear the criticism from your sister," she said.
Her younger sister agreed.
"If I get chewed out on the field and my parents weren't here to see it, if I go home and tell them it wasn't so bad, she knows that it was and she'll tell them that it was," Alexis Gooch said.
And if a coach or someone else yells at one sister, they can be sure the other is listening, too.
"If somebody says something to her, I think I get mad and stick up for her," Becca Patterson said.
Each set of sisters admits to its share of sibling squabbles. All four say they get along with their sister better on the diamond than they sometimes do at home.
"On the field we make sure we do," Alexis Gooch said.
Once the gloves are off, however, it can be a different story. And the biggest arguments between each twosome are usually about one thing.
"Clothes," Becca Patterson said with a laugh.
"Ours is clothes," added Alexis Gooch, also laughing. "Or who gets to do what when the other one doesn't."
* * *
Sibling talk
What each girl in the two sets of siblings in Lincoln County's starting lineup says is the strongest part of her game and the strongest part of her sister's game:
Ashton GoochSenior pitcher-outfielder
On her game: "I'm a good slapper. Where nobody around here rally slap (bunts), I have an advantage, something different."
On younger sister Alexis: "I'd say her hitting. She brings in a lot of RBIs and helps get people around the bases when we need her to. And she's good (under) pressure most of the time."
Alexis GoochJunior shortstop
On her game: "Batting, hitting doubles and triples. You can put all your power into (hitting), and fielding is more fundamental."
On older sister Ashton: "She's fast." Do you have her speed? "Not quite. Almost."
Becca PattersonSenior first baseman
On her game: "I love first base. When people throw bad throws, I love catching bad throws. Most people hate that, but I love it."
On younger sister Alissa: "She's a pretty good catcher. She stops a lot of balls."
Alissa PattersonSophomore catcher
On her game. "I think it's catching."
On older sister Becca: "First base, catching those wild throws. She saves a lot of people."
