LG Softball Piling Up the Wins

La Grange catcher Ashtyn Smith in action during Tuesday’s win. Photo by Jeff Wick The La Grange softball coach staff, left to right: Blake-Ann Fritsch (former LHS state softball champ who went on to play at Texas A&M), first year LHS head coach Ted Ferretti, Hatti Moore (former LHS state softball champ who went on to play at the University of Missouri), and Hannah Gerecke (former LHS state softball champ who went on to play at the University of North Texas). “I don’t think there’s a team in Texas with a coaching staff like these three ladies,” Ferretti said. Photo by Jeff Wick

The La Grange softball team keeps piling up the wins.

Tuesday the Lady Leps beat Shiner St. Paul 4-0 to improve to 11-6-1 this season.

Brooke Ulrich pitched a complete game four-hitter with 14 strikeouts.

Hannah Mitchell tripled. Ashtyn Smith doubled and drove in two runs, and Iylah King doubled and drove in a run. Anabella DelaRosa scored two runs and Haedyn Cooper drove in a run.

It’s been a fun start to this new job for first year LHS head coach Ted Ferretti.

“This is a program historically rich in tradition ... the state championships, the district championships. That excited me about coming to La Grange,” he said.

When Ferretti arrived he realized there were living examples of that tradition all around him.

“We are blessed to have alumni here that are willing to contribute to the success of the team. Those alumni will come out and pitch to us ... I could not do this job without the three assistants I have,,” Ferretti said of LHS grads Blake-Ann Fritsch, Hatti Moore and Hannah Gerecke. “All three of them were D-1 softball players. I don’t think there’s a team in Texas with a coaching staff like these three ladies ... They have helped me significantly ... I’m a man. I’ve never played one inning of fastpitch softball, I’ve played a lot of baseball. But these assistants can talk with our players about what they’ve seen, what they’ve felt. Their background is truly invaluable.”

Ferretti said pitching has been and will continue to be a strength of this team.

See “Everyone knows we have two very dynamic sophomore pitchers (Brooke Ulrich and Iylah King) and teams will see both of them this season,” Ferretti said. “Teams have struggled against both of those pitchers so far this season so we know those two girls are going to give us a chance in every game this season.”

Offensively the Leps have a powerful lineup, but Ferretti said he would like to see some more consistency.

The Lady Leps are young. They only have one senior, Meanwhile, several freshmen (DelaRosa, Hannah Mitchell, Kyndal Brawley and Abby Cernosek) have jumped right in and made an immediate impact on the varsity team.

Altogether it’s a potent mix for a La Grange softball team that starts district play next Tuesday at Smithville with high expectations.