The Charles Henderson softball team has experienced a week of ups and downs.

After earning their first two victories of the season, the Trojans lost Olivia Hudson for the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee while stretching to receive a throw on Saturday. Hudson, who batted fifth in the team’s lineup, also played first base and was a vocal leader on the field.

“It was a move I had made 100 times,” Hudson said. “I felt a pop and thought it might have been just an freak thing. The next play it gave out and I knew what it was.”

Hudson is all too familiar with the injury. The junior tore the ACL in her left knee last season.

Initially, Hudson was hopeful that was a strain but an MRI revealed she had indeed suffered a tear and will undergo surgery in April.

“I had felt it before so I knew what it was,” Hudson said. “I guess there was that little bit of hope that everybody would be wrong.”

Though disappointed, Hudson plans to attend every practice and game with a positive attitude and help her team anyway she can.

“The team showed they can pull together and play without me (against Rehobeth on Tuesday),” she said. “Now that I can’t be a leader in action, I have to be a leader in words and encouragement.”

Hudson wasn’t the only Trojans to suffer a setback. Shortstop Becca Hartley is nursing a case of tendonitis in her throwing arm. While Hartley can play through the soreness, it has forced head coach Robin Snyder to limit her throwing by moving here from the middle of the infield to first base.

“The main thing is to stay positive with Olivia out,” Hartley said. “I’m going to do my best and try to be good as a first baseman until my arm feels better.”

The offense has also been impacted by the misfortunes. With the absence of Hudson’s bat, the Trojans have been required to adapt to batting in a different order. Hartley moved from the fourth to second while catcher Amberlyn Baker made the biggest jump from seventh to fourth.

“It’s different,” Hartley said. “We are all just going to have to pull together and pick up the slack as a team.”

Charles Henderson showed it could do just that on Tuesday when the Trojans knocked off area for Rehobeth 11-10.

In a small schedule change, the Trojans will face Ariton today instead of New Brockton as originally planned. The game is scheduled for 4:30p.m. at the Troy Sportsplex.