In 2017, the Athol varsity softball team was one of the better hitting teams in one of the toughest leagues in western Massachusetts.
The Red Raiders hit at a .340 average, with an on-base percentage of .400 and a slugging percentage of .480. The team averaged 8.1 runs per game and averaged 10.6 hits per game.
In the team’s first five games of 2017, the Red Raiders averaged five runs per game and hit at a .290 average.
Through the first five games of 2018, the Red Raiders have averaged 11 runs and 9.6 hits, hitting at a .336 average, .494 on-base percentage and .510 slugging percentage.
If the Red Raiders hit at the same rate for the rest of the season, the team will accumulate 192 hits, 44 doubles, 16 triples, eight home runs and 196 runs scored. The team would have 28 less hits than in 2017, but would score 31 more runs, hit nine more doubles, 13 more triples, but hit eight less home runs.
What this suggests is that the Red Raiders, who were suppose to rely more on pitching than hitting after losing seven hard-hitting seniors, are producing more with every at-bat in 2018 than in 2017.
The difference in 2018 is that players are getting on base more. The team has walked 26 times this season, which, played out through the entirety of the season, would amount to 104 walks, 38 more than in 2017. With runners on base, the team has been more productive. While the team is averaging less hits per game, the hits that the Red Raiders are accumulating are for extra bases, allowing the team to score more runs.
So who leads the output for the Red Raiders?
Well, as a whole, every starter but two has walked at least once this season. But looking at each player’s performance, there are a couple names that stick out when it comes to production.
The first is Haley Bigwood. Through her first five games, Bigwood is hitting .471 with five extra-base hits, including two home runs. She has scored seven runs and knocked in a team-high five. She is performing exponentially better than in 2017, when after five games she was 4-for-17 (.235) with seven runs, one RBI and no extra-base hits. At her current rate, she will amass 32 hits with eight doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 20 RBIs and 28 runs. She is on pace to match last year’s total in hits, but surpass doubles (three), triples (none, home runs (four) and runs (26).
Another name is Amber Mahony, who is outpacing her 2017 totals through the first five games. This year, Mahony is 6-for-18 (.333) with five runs and three RBIs along with one double and one triple. Through her first five games of 2017, she was 2-for-14 (.142) with only one run. She is on pace for 24 hits, four doubles, four triples and 20 runs, which outpaces 2017 in every category.
Destiny Wrigley has hit at a .444 rate with four doubles and nine runs this season. She is on pace for 36 runs, which would be 10 more than 2017-leader Bigwood (26).
Bigwood, Mahony and Wrigley have combined for 22 hits in 53 at-bats (.415) with 21 runs, 11 RBIs, seven doubles, two triples and two home runs. The Red Raiders’ three best statistical players through the first five games in 2017, Hope Parker, Destiny Ricko and Jess Soucie, combined for 17 hits in 61 at-bats (.278) with 13 runs, two RBIs and three doubles.
Factor in eighth-graders Sadey Lehtomaki, who is 8-for-18 (.444) with a slugging percentage of .667 with seven runs and four RBIs, and Lindsey Leblanc, who is 4-for-10 (.400) with two runs and two RBIs, and the Red Raiders are hitting better this year than in 2017.
Now, statistically, the Red Raiders most likely will not keep up with the current pace. Just as some players started off slow and finished the year hot at the plate, this year’s team will most likely cool off at some point.
But so far this season, the Red Raiders have proven that they are still a force at the plate even when they weren’t expected to be.