By RICHIE HALL
ARCADIA – After three games of the season, things are going well for the Hamilton Heights softball team.
The defending sectional champion Huskies returned to action after a Spring Break layoff with a home game against Taylor on Friday. Heights got off to a great offensive start and rode that momentum to a 10-1 victory over the Titans.
The Huskies are a solid blend of experienced players – Heights coach Ken Olovich said the team returned its entire sectional roster except for one starter – and several young players. There are six freshmen on the Huskies roster for 2024; Olovich calls them “quality freshmen.”
“The challenge always is trying to put all the pieces together and I think so far we’re blending pretty well,” said Olovich. “We work hard in practice. The first three games here, things look pretty good.”
The Huskies scored five runs in the first inning. Heather Crays led off the inning with a bunt single, then eventually scored when Taya Trosper reached on a dropped third strike. Trosper later got home on a passed ball.
Senior Lily Roush (an IU Indianapolis commit) walked, then was brought in by a Kamryn Rhoton single. Rhoton later scored on an error, then Natalie Vann scored Heights’ fifth run.
Taylor scored its run in the top of the fourth inning, but the Huskies got it back in the bottom of the fourth after Crays got home on a passed ball. Rhoton scored in the fifth inning on a passed ball.
Heights finished its scoring with three runs in the sixth inning. Crays hit a double early in the inning, then Trosper drove her in with a line drive, Roush brought in Trosper with a single, then Roush scored on Rhoton’s RBI groundout.
Crays, Trosper and Rhoton each had two hits. Starting pitcher Melanee Forrester got the win, going four innings with three strikeouts. Crays pitched the other three innings in relief, striking out seven.
The Huskies were aggressive on the base paths, totaling eight stolen bases. Trosper and Rhoton both made two steals.
“We want put the pressure on defenses to make them make plays,” said Olovich. “We have a lot of girls who can put the ball in play, bunt the ball.” The coach said the team is changing its mentality this season: The Huskies still want to go for the big hit, but they also want to move baserunners.
Heights is 2-1 and hosts Maconaquah at noon today.