Two years later Herriman’s softball team is still the defending 6A champs thanks to last year’s canceled season, and on Wednesday it looked every bit the part of the team to beat again.
The Mustangs smashed the ball all over the diamond on the road at Fremont High School racking up 18 hits — seven of them extra-base hits — as they rolled to the 18-8 victory.
Herriman now sits at 3-0 this season and is doing its best to make up for last year’s disappointment by enjoying every step of the process in 2021.
“It’s been super exciting because we’ve all missed that chance and so I think we were so eager to get back on the field, and now that we finally are, I don’t know any other word to describe it other than exciting,” said Herriman senior Abby Grundy.
The third basemen’s day at the plate epitomized the groove Herriman’s hitters were collectively feeling at the plate as she went 5 for 5 with a pair of doubles and three RBI.
Wednesday was Herriman’s first road game of the season, but in last week’s home-opening win against Clearfield, Grundy that there was a bunch of nostalgia among the returning players as they hadn’t played a game on their home diamond since the 2019 playoffs.
“We’re just excited to be on the field, excited to play the game, excited to represent the community of Herriman,” said Herriman coach Heidi McKissick.
Last year’s Herriman team would’ve featured five seniors, but regardless of what would’ve happened this year McKissick also knew this 2021 team would be another contender.
“We always knew we had the potential and the things that were coming up, but you still don’t know if they can step up to that role, but you know they have that potential and hopefully they feel those shoes,” said McKissick.
In three games Herriman is averaging 14 runs.
With her three RBI on Wednesday Grundy now leads the team with nine this season, but she wasn’t the only player in a groove at the plate.
“We’re just excited to be on the field, excited to play the game, excited to represent the community of Herriman.” — Herriman coach Heidi McKissick
Milo Lancaster and Cassidy Hauptman both ripped home runs in the five-run fifth inning, with Hauptman finishing 3 for 5 with a home run and a double. Her double in the sixth inning smashing into the fence just a couple feet short of going out.
Through four innings, Fremont actually led 5-4 after a three-run blast by Aubrey Morrow in the third gave her team the lead.
That home run seemed to wake a sleeping giant though as Herriman scored five runs in the fifth, four in the sixth and then five more in the seventh.
“The start was a little bit rough and it was going back and forth but when we finally got it all strung together is when we really got going,” said Grundy.