Senior Anna Holley made sure the New Hope High School fast-pitch softball team survived a slow offensive start Tuesday night.
Holley had two hits and drove in three runs as New Hope sealed a Class 5A, Region 3 title with an 8-1 victory against West Point at Lady Trojan Field.
Just as impressive, though, was her return behind the plate where she filled in for injured catcher Kasey Stanfield. The move allowed her to reunite with pitcher Lauren Holifield.
“It”s like bringing back memories,” said Holifield, who worked with Holley last season.
Holley said she needed two innings to adjust and to start thinking like a catcher. After that, she was back to her old ways. New Hope coach Tabitha Beard let her call pitches, a responsibility Stanfield was still working to earn.
“It was definitely fun,” Holley said. “I hadn”t done it in a while. It was definitely an experience I missed.”
Holley, who has played in the infield on the school”s slow-pitch team, moved to second base this season to make room for Stanfield.
“We had two catchers that were pretty equal, that could both help us on the field,” Beard said. “Moving her was the best way to get them both out there. That”s the type of player Anna is. Wherever her team needs her, that”s where she”s going to play.”
Holley”s leadership is vital on a team with just three seniors.
Tuesday”s game marked the first of six games New Hope will play this week, giving the Lady Trojans plenty of time to return to their early season offensive dominance before they start the playoffs later in the month.
“We have to step up offensively,” Beard said. “We have to get back to where we were, we have to get back going at the plate.”
Holley did her part, highlighting a five-run fifth inning. Her strategy? New Hope was hitting a lot of balls to the left side of the field, so she tried to find a hole to the right. She succeeded, as both her hits landed safely.
“I tired to do the best I could, and I guess it was OK,” Holley said. “It was good enough to pull out a win.”
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