It was not the way they had hoped their softball season would end. Two walks, a misplayed infield fly rule, leading to a seeing-eye outfield single plating two sixth-inning tying runs, as the game momentum switched and carried visiting Bucktail to an eight-inning 8-4 win over South Williamsport on the Mounties Senior day.
It was not so much the loss, but its finality that brought forth a few tears and hugs and saw the uniformed players and their parents hanging around the field well after the game had concluded. For South Williamsport’s four seniors and their teammates, the memories were everywhere.
As Alyssa Barnes, Mikaiya Hills, Emma McLaughlin, and Maddie Pinkerton savored the moment, their canvas pictures attached to the backstop fence stared down on them. Their numbers 15, 2, 6, and 1 painted on the playing surface at their respective positions were still visible after eight innings of play. Tables behind the dugout were filled with pictures and mementos of their softball playing days, some dating back to first grade. Their mothers, wearing white sweatshirts proclaiming ‘Senior Softball Moms’ with their daughter’s number, reminisced and talked with well-wishers.
Underclass teammates, cell phones in hand, read personal messages to their departing teammates. Slowly, the sadness of the game’s loss was replaced by smiling faces as the players sat in a circle, as they would around a campfire, enjoying refreshments and telling stories.
Every school has Senior Day, and ceremonies similar to those above are part of the transformation of high school athletes. Graduations will soon take place as sports uniforms are replaced with caps and gowns, to be followed by the reality of the awaiting real world.
After four consecutive district championships and two appearances in the PIAA state championship game, South Williamsport will watch from the sidelines as a bevy of local talented softball teams will continue down the playoff path. Good softball teams have become a Lycoming County staple. This year is no exception, as Williamsport, Loyalsock, Montoursville, Jersey Shore, Hughesville, and Montgomery all have playoff aspirations, and we wish them all well.
But for me, this was personal. I have enjoyed the opportunity to be associated with these departing seniors since they began their scholastic careers. I have seen them grow and develop. I’ve shared with them the good times and the bad, and as I watched them enjoying each other’s company as softball players for the last time, the emotions everyone else was experiencing gave me a personal calling.
They will all be missed, but I welcome the opportunity to pencil in their names one final time on the lineup card of this column.
In left field, number 15, Alyssa Barnes: an outfielder with a gift for making sensational catches and a smile that will light up any room. She was active in a variety of school activities and reigned as both the prom princess and the South Williamsport Mummers Parade Queen. She will be attending Lincoln University in the fall to play volleyball and major in Performing Arts. Her advice to teammates: “Always believes in yourself and live up to your own standard, not others.”
At shortstop, number 2, Mikaiya Hills: an all-state centerfielder as a sophomore, who volunteered to move to shortstop this season to fill a void in the lineup. The move did not affect her hitting as she led the team with a .555 average, while joining the 100-hit club with 114 career base hits. She will be attending Coastal Carolina University to study biology, with the goal of becoming a doctor. Her advice to teammates: “Cherish every moment, it goes quickly.”
At 2nd base, number 6, Emma McLaughlin: a team player who also played third base and volunteered to pitch when injuries occurred. A member of the National Honor Society and a gifted tennis player, she will attend Penn College to play tennis and major in biomedical sciences on a pre-med track. She made a diving catch to save two runs in last year’s state quarter-final game. Her advice to teammates: “Practice and work hard in the off-season to get the starting spot you deserve.”
In centerfield, number 1, Maddie Pinkerton: a four-year starting outfielder who plays the game with passion and emotion. Like McLaughlin, she volunteered to pitch and sustained an injury requiring dental surgery after being hit in the facemask with a line drive. Her toughness endured, and she didn’t miss a game. A National Society member, she will be attending Lock Haven University to major in Early Childhood Education and continue her softball career. Her advice to teammates: “Play every game like it’s your last and have fun while doing it.”
Thank you all for what we’ve experienced together.
