Girls softball teams enjoy successful seasons
Junior varsity and varsity softball have winning records this season of 6-2 and 9-6 respectively. Varsity also placed second during the Hayfield tournament over spring break.
Sophomore Melanie Hempel is looking forward to a successful JV season.
“Last year we had a pretty good team, but this year we are really amazing,” Hempel said. “We are like a family and we are all great players.”
JV defeated both Madison and Mclean, which are their two biggest rivals.
“We have beat two huge competitors and are now undefeated,” junior Kellye Young said. “The season has been awesome and there isn’t any drama this year as there has been in the past.”
According to junior Ginny Bulger, the varsity team had a rocky start.
“The first couple games were a little rough as we were trying to figure out how to play together since we had six new players on the team,” Bulger said. “But now everything is really good. We all get along great and are very competitive with the other schools.”
The new blood on varsity has been an asset to the team, although the number of injuries has made a negative impact.
“Eleni Petersen and Jazmyn Stokes are incoming freshmen who have made a positive impact to our team,” varsity head coach Mark Severin said. “They provide help on offense with Jazmyn having hit three home runs so far this year. Eleni brings speed and good bat to the plate. She connected on the game winning double against Stone Bridge. Also, Tess Rayle is experiencing a very good season on the mound. Her current ERA is 1.57 which is quite good considering who we play.”
Senior Paige Coatney has a shoulder injury, which has restricted the number of games she can take part in.
“My MRI results will dictate when I will be able to resume playing,” Coatney said.
Bulger, who has played softball since the age of eight, has noticed great improvement in her skills since she started playing for the school freshman year.
“Personally, my catching skills have come a long way,” Bulger said. “Freshman year a mom told me I was too small to be successful as a catcher. I strived to prove her wrong and now I’m the starting varsity catcher.”