Lind, Hiles earn weekly honors

The weather has cooled off drastically with an abundance of rain after a warm start to the area spring sports season.

But while the temps have cooled, at least two area athletes have opted to heat it up on the diamond.

Belle Vernon Area’s Parker Lind and Frazier’s Addison Hiles have been on fire in baseball and softball, respectively.

As a result, they are the latest Mon Valley Independent Athletes of the Week selections.

Parker Lind

Lind, a lefty pitcher who is already ticketed to continue his career at Kent State, has had a lead role in the Leopards’ 6-0 start to the season.

Lind has a 3-0 record on the mound and has been unbeatable in doing so. After a shortened no-hitter to open the season against McGuffey in which he struck out 11 batters, he has notched two more wins.

To date, the fireballer has struck out 34 batters and has given up just five hits and three unearned runs on the season.

“He’s pretty much doing what we expected,” said BVA veteran coach Tony Watson. “We knew from the Latrobe series last year that he was our future this season.

“He’s just a special kid with a good work ethic.”

Watson said his ace uses a combination of velocity and control to be so dominant.

“He executes all of his pitches and very seldom has to make any adjustments,” Watson said. “He’s just fun to watch.”

Most athletes begin to blossom in the sophomore season after making the adjustment to varsity sports as a freshman.

Watson said he knew long before that what he had in Lind.

“When he was in sixth grade, I was the pitching coach (at BVA) back then,” Watson recalled. “I used to give him individual lessons and I saw it then. I remember telling his parents he’s going to be special. He had abilities that you just don’t see at that age.

“And he’s made the most of it as he got older.”

Addison Hiles

Hiles has been a key component for the Commodores’ hot 4-1 start, which includes a current four-game winning streak.

The sophomore has been a valuable twoway player for Frazier coach Don Hartman’s squad.

On the mound, she has amassed 30 strikeouts while giving up just eight earned runs in 28 innings pitched.

At the plate, she has been sizzling with a .500 batting average (9-for-18) out of the leadoff spot. She has scored five runs and also knocked in five others.

“She is so talented and versatile,” said Hartman, who doubles as a volleyball assistant at Frazier. “She’s my libero (defensive specialist) on the volleyball teams. I can’t imagine there’s not much she can’t do.”

Hiles dominates while always displaying her classic smile.

“She has such a love for the game and an electrifying personality,” Hartman said. “Even when things are tough, she smiles. She has an easy-going way about her, but don’t ever mistake it for a weakness. Her work ethic is probably her greatest asset.”

Hartman thought back to when Hiles joined the team as a freshman and said he put a lot of pressure on her.

“She was a freshman on the team and I made her my pitcher and lead-off hitter,” Hartman said. “I put the house on her shoulders. I asked her if she could handle that and she just smiled.”

And because of her play, Hartman hasn’t stopped smiling since.