Despite being down one run for the first three innings, the varsity softball team scored three runs in the fourth inning, bringing home their 10th win in a row. With the 3-1 win against Geneva High School on March 31, the team brought their record to 13-1.
The game started slow with both teams failing to get a hit for the first two innings. Geneva scored their first and only run in the third inning before senior Nicole Thompson got the first hit for Hagerty and her first of two hits for the game, making it to first base in the fourth inning.
“It was a good momentum starter. It felt really good to get on base and hear my teammates cheering me on and get something started for us,” Thompson said.
Geneva (8-3) put up a fight in the beginning of the game, their pitcher starting especially strong by striking out the first batter. However, freshman pitcher Bella Ortiz matched that energy with nine strikeouts, preventing Geneva from hitting any more runs.
Despite hitting the ground early in the game, Ortiz threw frequent drop balls, improving throughout the innings and preventing the opposing team from advancing the bases.
Ortiz played for Geneva last year as an eighth grader, so she enjoyed the win a little more.
“[Geneva] has a great pitcher but it’s nothing we haven’t seen before [so] on offense I think we could’ve made quicker adjustments,” Ortiz said. “[But] As a team we did really strongly, came back on offense and that allowed us to get the win.”
After getting over the slow start, Hagerty’s offense shined in the fourth inning when sophomore Ariana Hardman, junior Alina Gallaher and senior Nisa Fatzinger-Rodriguez scored one run each to bring Hagerty to their 3-1 victory.
“In the middle of the game when we hadn’t scored any runs yet it was a little nerve wracking because it’s Senior Night [so] we all want to win, so there’s more pressure put on us to score runs,” Thompson said. “But once we [scored] it was fine and I knew we had the game. We just fought back, scored runs, and we kept the lead,” Thompson said.
Not only was this a home game, the stakes already being high, but it was Senior Night, so seniors celebrated their last year on the team, making the victory all the more meaningful. Thompson plans to play for Eastern Florida State College.
“Its definitely sad to leave all my teammates but I know they’re going to do great things,” Thompson said.
The team has shown a lot of consistency with their 10-game win streak, with the goal of winning a state championship after finishing as runner-up last year.
“I think we will [win states]. I know we will. We just want it more than anyone,” Ortiz said.
