This year seventh and eighth grade girls’ softball came to a quick start. The teams coached by eighth grade teachers Tim Mitchell and Beth Bronson, who began coaching the girls softball team last year and work together to coach, work with both Maroon and White softball teams.
This year the teams started practice in the beginning of March. The teams practice together after school in the junior high gym or out on the field every day they don’t have a game excluding Fridays. The team’s first two games were postponed due to poor weather. The first game for the team instead occurred on April 16 away at Phillipsburg against the Mounties.
” The first Maroon game ended with a score of 0-4 and the second was 0-15 which was our first official game of the season and the white team had scores of 0-15 and 1-21,” Mitchell said.
The first official home game for the girls occurred on Friday April 17 against the Spring Cove Dragons, and the girls were defeated by the Dragons in the first game with a score of 0-6 and in the second game the girls tried to make a comeback but lost to the Dragons 8-13.
Home games for the junior high girls softball team are held at the fields at Logan Elementary. Come out to support and rally on your fellow junior high softball players.
Returning eighth grade softball player Giana Arthur practices her batting during an after school practice. Arthur often plays third base during games. Photo by Emily Simmons
One of the coaches for the softball team Mitchell hits balls to infield players so the may practice drills for game situations that may occur. Photo by Emily SimmonsEighth grader Jackie Beck goes to catch a ground ball to first base during practice. Beck plays several different positions during games. Photo by Emily SimmonsMoist stands at first base ready to catch a ball from a fellow softball player across the field. “I play softball during the summer but really enjoy playing for the school this year. We practice a lot and really want to bring home some wins,” Moist said. Photo by Emily SimmonsJaelynn Namenwirth and Britney Brennan switch practicing as catchers during practice. Both eighth grade girls returned from the previous school year to play softball and both played catcher this year and last. Photo by Emily SimmonsFly Ball. Eighth grader Emma Stewart who also is a return player from last year practices her outfield position catching fly ball. “I play right field usually and that we will be able to bring home some more wins this year, we practice a lot and have great coaches. But I feel like our hardest competition will end up being our rivals Hollidaysburg and Mount Union,” Stewart said. Photo by Emily Simmons Returning softball player eighth grader Isabella Zawalanski also practices her batting during an after school practice before a game. The team practices all week in order to prepare for games. Photo by Emily SimmonsSwinging start. Kierra Moist was one of the first few girls to begin batting during the after school practice at the junior high. This is Moist’s first year playing for the junior high softball team although she plays during the summer for a league. Photo by Emily SimmonsHeads up. Eighth grade softball player Moist looks up to watch the ball after she hit it up into the air during an after school practice. ” We practice a lot during the week, we do lots of fielding and batting to prepare for games,” Moist said. Photo by Emily SimmonsPIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) umpires talk before the game to discuss who will do what. At least two umpires are present at every softball game. Photo by Emily SimmonsPlayers from both teams meet on home plate with their coaches and PIAA umpires to discuss rules and information about the game. This is something that is done before every game. Photo by Emily SimmonsZawalanski (#8) runs to first base after hitting a ground ball to the short stop. However from the Dragons number 19 Heustan the first baseman stooped her with a pass from the third stop. Photo by Emily SimmonsZawalanski(#*8) bats during the third of the game. Zawalanski who played center field during parts of the game hit several times during the game although the girls were defeated by the Dragons. Photo by Emily SimmonsPitcher Olivia Waksmonski(#3) pitches the ball to a Spring Cove Dragon during the game. For majority of the first game Waksmonski pitched for the Altoona team. Photo by Emily SimmonsZavalanski (#8) reaches down to catch a ground ball in center field. The team practiced drills similar to this scenario during after school practices. Photo by Emily Simmons
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