The loose, confident Cougars are dancing their way to ConVal’s best softball start in years, and with any luck, their cleats will keep on clicking.

“I think we’re more of a unit than we ever have been before,” said pitcher and co-captain Kendall Sullivan after Tuesday’s 8-5 win over visiting Pembroke. “We’re all together, and we’re our strongest when we’re down and we have to come back, because then we never give up, we always play and fight – that’s kind been our M.O. this season. There’s been a lot of tough seasons here at ConVal, but I think this is definitely our strongest team, offensively, defensively – everything.”

Sullivan may be the most boisterous of the bunch, but the entire Cougar pride is having fun in the dugout, where pregame rituals include a synchronized team dance to “Cotton-Eyed Joe,” and on the diamond, where co-captain Morgan Bemont keeps it light, dancing out to shortstop along with centerfielder Sam Henderson and air-dunking on third baseman Lily Mandel.

“We can attack the ball,” said head coach Amanda Hinton. “Our defense is pretty strong. They’re super confident. And most importantly, they’re there to have fun and they never lose that. Not even when we’re behind and need to catch up, they never lose focus. They’re just a great group of girls.”

Sullivan and Mandel have split pitching duties all season, and the blustery Tuesday game at Adams Playground was no exception, as Sullivan toed the Ecco Field rubber for five innings, striking out 11 with six hits and four walks, before Mandel closed it out with two innings of two-hit ball.

“It’s been really good,” Hinton said. “Good experience on the mound – they’ve both been pitching for a long time.”

The Cougars are plenty experienced all around the field, with seniors 2B Makenzie Anderson and 1B/3B Mairin Burgess holding down the infield, and seniors Julielle Cabana and Mackenzie Gauthier joining Henderson in the outfield. And an injection of new blood has helped Hinton optimize her lineups, as freshman catcher Avery Moore is both seasoned and speedy, which allows her to slot into the nine-hole as a second leadoff hitter and allows Bemont to anchor the defense from shortstop, rather than her previous spot behind the plate.

“Morgan at shortstop, she’s just unbelievably good,” Hinton said. “And we knew she was unbelievably good, but we needed somebody [at catcher]. Avery’s a humongous piece for us, especially because she hits lefty too.”

The lineup looked good Tuesday, as ConVal jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Bemont doubled in Henderson and bunt specialist Mary Hulslander before Cabana drove in Sullivan and Anderson with a single, and the Cougars were on their way.

Mandel drove in two more runs with a sac fly in the second to put ConVal up 6-0; Pembroke chipped away and made it 6-4, but Moore drove in some insurance with a two-run double, and ConVal hung on to win.

The Cougars are now 5-2, off to their best start since the Courtney Fisher/Jim Coppo days, and they’re having fun doing it; what that might translate to down the stretch and in the postseason remains to be seen.

“I’m really hopeful,” Sullivan said. “We’ve just got to take it day-by-day. We have a winning record right now, but if we get cocky, then you know, that could all go south really quickly. I think if we keep this light environment and we keep it fun, I think we’ll be really successful.”

ConVal has a rematch at Hollis-Brookline Monday; the Cavs beat the Cougs 6-5 on a seventh-inning comeback last week.

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