’Dores runs section streak to 49

By ADAM BREWER

MVI Sports

Addison Hiles is just in her first year at the varsity softball level for Frazier.

She doesn’t pitch like a freshman….and she doesn’t hit like one either.

Hiles racked up 13 strikeouts Friday afternoon at Perryopolis Ball Fields and went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Commodores to a dominating 14-0 victory in five innings over Section 3-1A foe Leechburg.

“This team isn’t afraid to grind out wins and to just stay the course,” Frazier coach Don Hartman said. “It was 3-0 for a long time until we broke it open in the fourth. I am happy with where we are at right now. The girls are buying into the system and we are constantly looking to improve.”

With the win, the Commodores (11-0, 11-0) cliched at least a share of the section title and extended their section unbeaten streak to 49 games. The last time Frazier dropped a section contest was in 2019 at Carmichaels.

Hiles scattered three hits with no walks to the Blue Devils (9-7, 6-6) on the day and threw 79 pitches, 61 were strikes. The freshmen hurler had at least a strikeout in all five innings and she struck out the side three times on the afternoon.

“I just take it pitch by pitch,” Hiles said. “I don’t pay too much attention to how many strikeouts I have in a game. I am focus on getting ahead of the count and throwing strikes. I have a lot of confidence in my catcher and the defense behind me.”

For the season, the Commodores have only allowed six runs, four of which came on Monday against Jeannette in an extra innings triumph.

“Addison pitched phenomenal today,” Hartman said. “Her play this season has been way above my expectations on what a little, freshman pitcher can do. She gets better every game and her confidence is growing. She’s a competitor. I know she is going to bring her heart and soul every time she takes a step in that circle. She brings it every single game.”

Frazier ends section play Monday at home against second-place Jeannette.

“The win against Jeannette was good for this team,” Hartman said. “It wasn’t necessarily a wakeup call, but we haven’t played a team of that caliber all season. It took us a couple innings to adjust to the speed of the pitcher. But this group just stuck with it and we had to get out of our comfort zone. That win was huge for our confidence, and I think we have played to a higher caliber the rest of the week.”

Hiles also did her part offensively on the day with three hits and three RBI’s.

“I keep it simple at the plate,” Hiles said. “I want to hit line drives and get on base. Our team is built on speed and we like to run. That is our team identity. As a leadoff hitter, I want to be consistent and use my speed on the bases.”

Grace Polkabla, Jayanna Ciferno, Emilia Bednar and Malayna Burton also aided to the 13-hit Frazier attack with two hits apiece. Danica Sopcak collected two of Leechburg’s three hits in the loss.

After the visitors went down in order in the top of the first, the Commodores looked to have things going their way as Hiles singled and Gracen Hartman drew a walk. But in the next at-bat, Grace Vaughn lined out to third and Hiles was doubled off at second.

On the next pitch, Frazier was caught stealing at second and did not take the early lead after the promising start.

Polkabla and Ciferno began the second inning for the home team with back-to-back singles and both would later score on a pair of double steals of home. Bednar drew a walk in the frame and her courtesy runner, Delani Anderson, crossed home plate after a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

The Blue Devils had their best chance to score in the top of third when Ava Ferretti and Sopcak compiled consecutive, one-out singles, but Hiles was able to get out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts.

Only leading 3-0 for the first three and a half innings, the Commodores finally exploded for 12 runs in the bottom of the fourth. The home team sent 15 batters to the plate in the frame, as the first 10 Frazier’s hitters reached base safely.

Bednar led off the lopsided inning with a triple and her courtesy runner, Anderson, scored off a wild pitch. Claire Domonkos singled next and she came around to score on another wild pitch. 

After Hiles and Gracen Hartman added RBI singles, Polkabla garnered a two-run single and Ciferno smashed a two-run double. The scoring onslaught ended with a run-producing hit by Burton and a two-run triple by Hiles.

One of the key things offensively this spring for Frazier is there aggressive baserunning.

“We always preached being aggressive on the bases,” Coach Hartman said. “With that sometimes you live by the sword and you die by the sword. We will run into some outs, but I don’t want to be passive on the bases. This team has so much speed. We train to take that extra base and to put that constant pressure on a defense. When you get the defense thinking, it will only help you out on offense.”

Hiles made short work of the Leechburg hitters in the top of the fifth on only eight pitches and registered her final two strikeouts in the final frame.

“I have a lot of confidence in a lot of my pitches,” Hiles said. “It is about building that comfort zone and just getting adjusted to the varsity game. I don’t get too high or too low. I want to stay stable. It was a fun challenge against Jeannette the last time and we will be ready for them on Monday at home.”