Hampton softball takes step forward

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 1, 2018 | 12:24 AM

Hampton softball's cure for its early-season ailments was simple.

Get out and play.

After falling a game short of the playoffs last year, and enduring another tumultuous start this season, the Talbots overcame tough matchups and tougher weather, riding a late surge into the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

“I think unlike last year the games we were losing were so close,” senior captain Emily Morris said. “We were stronger and played better overall.”

Senior leaders such as Morris, Natalie Klaas, Julia Powers and Chloe Nelligan provided leadership, and a talented young core kept the ship afloat, and eventually turned up the knots with two key doubleheader victories — ironically made possible by the same weather postponements coach Ron Fedell knew were dragging down his team's outside practice schedule for most of April.

On April 20, the Talbots outscored Chartiers Valley, 19-2, in a sweep. Eleven days later, the team ran by Montour by a total of 32-7. Fedell saw his team score double-digit runs in eight of its last 14 contests, led by freshman second baseman Hannah Bradfield, who batted .523 on the season.

“We had no idea we were going to get a contribution like that from her,” said Fedell, who had up to seven freshmen and sophomores playing at once in certain situations.

Big wins helped the Talbots establish more belief in themselves as a unit.

“I think especially the doubleheader against CV boosted our confidence,” Morris said. “It gave us something to look toward.”

Sophomore pitcher Annelise Probeck showed her self-assurance throughout the year, finishing with seven wins and 72 strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Bella Nordik will try to make the same kind of leap next year.

“Annelise really matured from her freshman to her sophomore year,” Fedell said. “That can only help her going into next year. We expect the same from Bella.”

The 0-4 start was the byproduct of a schedule that matched its top three section opponents off the bat — Moon, West Allegheny and Mars. This was in addition to a young team that, according to Fedell, just needed to get out of the gym.

“I think the kids got their confidence as far as hitting,” Fedell said. “I knew we would hit once we got outside and were able to work on some things and hit the ball hard.

“As a young team, we can talk to the younger players, the seniors can talk to them. But we were (in the gym) for two, three weeks. Nothing beats getting outside.”

The team's tough luck seemed to follow it into the playoffs, where it drew an away game against Connellsville, on a field with a short fence. Despite outhitting the Falcons 17 to 5, two home runs from the home team kept the Talbots out of the second round with a 7-4 loss.

“We were getting hits,” Morris said. “But we didn't get the hits when we needed them. They were going right to the other team.”

Still, Fedell was more than pleased with the step forward despite the early playoff ouster.

“The seniors were outstanding all year. The leadership they provided us was invaluable,” Fedell said. “The weather and things we had to go through, they were great at keeping the work ethic when we needed it.”

Next year's team will be returning the majority of its contributors. Fedell and assistant coach Lynn Zdirak could be faced with tough decisions.

“It's going to be tough to earn a spot on the team,” Fedell said. “There's going to be a lot of competition. We're going to have to choose from a lot of talented kids. But the good thing is, whoever we put in will be able to do the job.”

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

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