Troy softball team fights through losses to keep passion alive

Though the Troy High School softball team has had a losing season and even lost a starting pitcher, the team continues to fight on and make small strides.

Head Coach Keith Haggerty said that junior Tristyn Wynebark is out as a pitcher due to an arm injury, though she continues to play. Adding to the team’s troubles, sophomore starting pitcher Mazzy Hermes was struck in the leg by a line drive during the team’s 12-1 loss to Anaconda on April 14.

“We’re just going to have to build some more up to keep playing,” he said. “But Mazzy’s a fighter, and just wants to keep playing as much as she can.”

Hermes was back on the mound for Troy’s double header against Mission Friday.

Haggerty said he enjoys improvement from the team, though he hopes the girls see that improvement as motivation to keep learning.

“We just need more playing time, and they’re just going to keep getting better as the season goes,” he said.

Inexperience continues to create problems on the field, not just with players not knowing what to do, but with easily avoided mistakes such as players getting overexcited, he said.

“You go over stuff in practice, and then when they’re in the game it’s a little more excitement, and they’re just reacting,” he said.

More than once, a runner on second has just taken off, failing to notice that the ball was hit to the shortstop, he said. They run right into an easy out for the opposing team, and a quick throw to first ends in a double play.

“And they were just shaking their head like, ‘I know I shouldn’t have done that,’” he said. “They knew better, but they’re just amped up, which, I’d rather have that than not.”

The team does have a core group that is dedicated to getting better, and they try to nurture that attitude in any player who is lagging behind, Haggerty said.

“You have to have that passion. You can’t just show up and throw a uniform on and be a player,” he said. “To be a team member, you have to be a player and want to be there.”

Troy has players with that kind of passion, he said.

“That’s the stuff you always look for in a team, and whether you win or lose, if you have players like that, it makes it enjoyable to coach,” Haggerty said.

April 19

Florence 12, Troy 7

F 405 102 0 - R:12 H:9 E:2

T 160 000 0 - R:7 H:9 E:2

F: Emily Kinnaman HR, 3RBI

T: Kaylee Tunison 3B, 2RBI

April 20

Game 1

Mission 13, Troy 2

M 011 92 - R:13 H:11 E:3

T 000 11 - R:2 H:4 E:3

Hits

M: Frankie Smith 2, Azia Umphrey 2, Ashley Tanner 2, Sierra Hutchin 2, Kalista Clark, Shyanne Reum

T: Izzy Ramirez, Mazzy Hermes, Cami Finley, Tristyn Winebark

Batting: 2B Umphrey; HR - Smith 2, Umphrey; RBI - Smith 4, Umphrey 2, Hutchin 2, Summer Darc Angelo, Tanner, Hailey Crawford; Hermes, Harlee Huisentruit

Pitching: W, Tomji Brazil; L, Mazzy Hermes

Game 2

Mission 19, Troy 5

M 11 80 0x - R:19 H:11 E:1

T 1 00 40 - R:5 H:8 E:5

Hits

M: Tomi Brazil 2, Frankie Smith 2, Azia Umphrey 2, S. Reum 2, Summer Darc Angelo, Ashley Tanner, Olivia Garland, Aubrey Dumont, Kalista Clark, Shyanne Reum.

T: Troy: Harlee Huisentruit 3, Izzy Ramirez 2, Montana Rice, Talise Becquart, Cami Finley.

Batting: 2B - Smith, Darc Angelo, Garland; Huisentruit; RBI - Brazil 2, Tanner 2, Garland 2, Crawford 2, Reum 2, Smith, Umphrey, Darc Angelo, Hutchin, Dumont; Ramirez 2, Finley, Rice