May 16, 2023 – Story by Ava DiCecca, photos by Joshua Ross
Girls softball clinched yet another win this past Thursday beating Pembroke 6-5 and bringing their record to an impressive 11 and 2. Whatever the girls have been doing to prepare for each and every game has obviously been paying off as they continue to defeat strong opponents and improve every day. They are a scrappy yet composed team of fighters and this day was no exception as they were able to bounce back and keep the momentum in their favor, despite coming off of a rare loss last game.
Head Coach Chuck Green spoke on the work ethic of his team as well as the effects that this has on their play and mindset:
“We just don’t slow down to think about it, we just keep working real hard knowing that we are out-working everybody, so it gives us that confidence to come in and know that we put our dues in. When you’re working hard you feel like ‘yes I can do this,’ and not hoping you’ll do it.” The season up to this point has made it clear that hope is far from their strategy as he also commented that they are hitting 50-60 ground balls a day and just batting endlessly.
There is an evident drive on this team and an unwavering desire to win, routinely displayed by their performances including Bilyana Wilkin who battled until the end on the mound. Stand-out showings came from Jess Mulrey with a solo home run; Rachel O’Connor who made her presence known at the plate and was outstanding in the field; captain Sarah Holler who went 2 for 3 and made some scrappy defensive plays; and Aradhana Sood with a 2 RBI single that sparked their explosive run in the third inning which is ultimately where they gained some traction and widened the gap between themselves and the Titans.
Coming off of a tough loss against Silver Lake and right into this competitive game might have shaken some teams, but Haborwomen came out like they always do, intending to dominate, confident in their abilities, and trusting in the hard work they’ve put in thus far. The loss was not able to change their positive mindset or waver the belief they have in themselves or each other. No momentum was lost on that game and above that, it was all channeled into coming away with this win.
As stated by Coach Green, the game was definitely “a nail-biter” but the hard work and persistence both in game and in practice paid off. They have pushed themselves incredibly hard and in turn, become the epitome of the phrase “hard work pays off.”
Great article! These girls are working very hard and it shows – they are playing well together and demonstrating solid team performances each game. It is a pleasure watching them play!