Boonsboro's softball team is wasting little time making a powerful first impression

Speed. Power. Pitching. Fielding. Depth.

The Boonsboro softball team showed off all of its talent in a stunning 22-0 shutout of Williamsport on the road Monday afternoon.

That's the same Wildcats squad that defeated the Warriors twice in their three meetings in 2023, including an 8-1 playoff decision . The same Wildcats who were coming off an opening 12-3 win over Oakdale on Friday.

"(Williamsport) is going to be one of the better teams we face," said Boonsboro coach Mark Wadel. "Coach (Jen) Finafrock does a great job and their kids, until it gets way out of hand, they're always in it. I stressed that to them, to be focused because this is a good team. It was important to come over here and have a good showing."

The Warriors responded with a great showing, finishing with 18 hits against the Wildcats. Boonsboro has outscored its first two opponents 35-0, including a 13-0 victory over Brunswick on Friday.

The Warriors — and especially the six seniors — have big goals for this spring.

"The goal for the seniors is just to do everything we are wanting to do and hopefully come out on top," said Sage Haller. "I think we all just want to end on a good note, and the best note would be to go and win the entire thing."

"One thing about our senior class, we've all grown up together and we've been with each other," said Sydney Hartle. "We want to leave it all out on the field and go for it all."

An overflow of leaders

Boonsboro, which finished 15-5 last year, returned everyone. That includes four all-county first-team standouts (seniors Hartle, Haylee Hartman and Ava Nelson, and sophomore Kalyn Lawrence) and a second-team honoree (Haller).

Five seniors had moments in the spotlight Monday:

• Haller went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and four runs scored. She also made a key catch of a line drive at third base that saved at least one run and possibly two, keeping Boonsboro ahead 5-0 in the third inning. Last year, she batted .308 with nine extra-base hits and 14 walks.
• Hartle had two hits and a walk, driving in three runs. In 2023, she batted .545 with three homers, 12 doubles and 43 RBIs.
• Hartman had a single and two walks in her three plate appearances, scoring two runs. She batted .508 with five homers, three doubles and 40 RBIs as a junior.
• Emmalee Burker went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and four RBIs.
• Zoe Hartman went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Ava Nelson rounds out the seniors. She went 15-4 in the circle with a 1.58 ERA in 2023, leading the county in wins and ERA, and also batted .375.

"It is a special group of kids," Wadel said of the seniors. "Five of them are going to play in college, and the sixth could have but chose not to. ... They've all been varsity since freshmen, so they've been around, they know the expectations. They do a great job day in and day out."

There's no shortage of confidence among the group.

"We're pretty confident in ourselves. but what really helps us is we're confident with each other," Haller said. "I know no matter who goes out there, I know they've got my back and will do whatever it takes to complete the game."

"If one of us is down that day, we can trust each other to be there for us and we can always lean on each other," Hartle said. "It's a lot of fun, especially with this team because we feel like a family with each other."

"They know what they're capable of, for sure," Wadel said.

Girls Indoor Track & Field: Unveiling the 2023-24 Herald-Mail All-Washington County teams

Boys Indoor Track & Field: Unveiling the 2023-24 Herald-Mail All-Washington County teams

The future is bright

There's more to the Warriors than their six seniors. Much more.

Lawrence had one of the best seasons by a Washington County freshman in recent memory in 2023, when the prototypical lefty-swinging, speedy leadoff hitter led the county in batting (.591), hits (39), runs (40) and stolen bases (21). She was at it again Monday, reaching base twice by sprinting out singles on bunts and scoring two runs.

Then there's sophomore Addison Tyler, who missed her freshman season following back surgery. She was superb in her first varsity pitching start Monday, twirling a five-inning, two-hit shutout while adding three hits (and finishing a home run shy of the cycle) at the plate and scoring four runs.

"She was hitting all of her spots," said Hartle, the catcher. "Her spin was good. She was just really good today."

"Our team is ecstatic with how much (Addison) has grown," Haller said. "She has become a really good player. She does so much for the team already and she's only played two games."

"We knew she was a talented kid, and she works really hard at it," Wadel said. "Just the other night, she had her first high school hit. ... She hits really well, she throws really well. The first inning, she bunted. She's a great kid and she'll do whatever it takes to win."

Freshman Sydney Kulikowski got into the act Monday with a three-run double. Sophomore Elizabeth Harrell scored twice.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Boonsboro's softball team is wasting little time making a powerful first impression