by Mikalyn Brickley
In the last game of both teams’ seasons, the Hamilton Lady Broncs softball team competed against the Dillon Beavers. In the first pitch of the game, thrown by the sophomore Brynne Johnson, Dillon’s Makiya Dubois sent the ball flying over the left field fence. Luckily for the Broncs that was the only run allowed in the first inning.
Using the unexpected homerun as fuel, the Lady Broncs answered with a massive first inning at the plate. Going through the entire lineup, the young Hamilton team put up 12 runs, brought on by 6 total hits, including a homerun from senior Brooke Alexander. Alexander had a phenomenal game at the plate, going 3 for 3 with 3 RBIs. After battling injuries all year long, Coach Dave Kearns was thrilled to see her come out and compete in her last game and “best game ever.”
After trading a few runs throughout the second and third innings, the Lady Broncs came out on top, ending the game at the top of the 5th with a score of 16-5. In what was the seniors’ last home game, despite their rocky start to the season, the Lady Broncs went out on a good note with a total of 13 hits and just one error.
“This was their best game of the year, by far,” said Coach Kearns of the Lady Broncs. After struggling to find chemistry with such a young team, and only two returning starters, he was glad to see them come together for the first time all year, and play for one common purpose – each other.
Although it might not have been the season of dreams for this high school softball team, Coach Kearns says, “finally getting to play was enough.”