Photo by Paul Dirmeyer
By Ryan Romano, Staff Writer
If River Hill’s softball team’s first three games are any indication, they’ll once again be a dominant force in the state.
The season’s first three outings have seen the Hawks go 3-0, pummeling their opponents on both sides of the ball. Despite playing in three consecutive days, they’ve cruised to victories over Long Reach, Glenelg, and Marriotts Ridge by a combined score of 28-5.
On offense, third baseman Kinsey Johnson has displayed the offensive prowess that got her into Virginia Tech, going 8 for 12 with two doubles, three home runs, and a walk. Catcher Sara Mascone has seven hits as well, with two of them going for extra bases. They’ve received support from center fielder Courtney Colosimo and second baseman Caroline Hickey, among others.
The pitching has excelled too. Starting pitcher Kristy Selby has walked two and struck out 18 in her 12 innings, while allowing a sole run to Marriotts Ridge, and fellow starter Sabrina Curtiss turned in a solid effort at Glenelg.
Defensively, the outfield has more than held its own, as Colosimo and right fielder Mary Ellen Tokar have made several phenomenal plays. Johnson has also anchored the hot corner with strong fielding, and Mascone has already cut down two runners from behind the plate.
The team faces a tough foe in the future: Mount Hebron, which came within a game of the championship last year, comes to River Hill on Friday. If the Hawks can sustain the success of the previous three games, though, they’ll surely have no problem dispatching the Vikings.
Of course, the team has a limited future — every aforementioned contributor will graduate in May. But while they’re here, they can do some serious damage, and make this club go far.