The Shadow
The Alleghany Lady Mountaineers softball season is officially over after a tough, season-ending 9-7 loss to Radford, but the Mountaineers were young and exceeded expectations, and will expect big things from certain players’ next season.
That is especially true for sophomore Bryce Leitch.
Leitch is a talented athlete that plays multiple sports. She is a basketball player; a volleyball player and she also ran cross country earlier in the school year. But now, the softball field is her focus at the present time.
A break from the sport until her eighth-grade year may have been exactly what the doctor ordered for Leitch. She has a lot of power at the plate and patrols centerfield where her glove is steady, and her arm is an asset as well.
In the last three games of her season against Radford, Floyd County and Radford again, Leitch went 6-8 at the plate and scored four runs.
So, Leitch, who rides horses and spends time with family in her free time, is a big contributor and has taken on a much bigger role on this year’s Mountaineer team, and for that she is thankful.
“My sophomore season was good,” Leitch said.
“I had a bigger role this year and that has really helped my confidence and made me a better player,” she added.
Leitch admits her time in the batter’s box has not always been good for her, but when she practices frequently and works on her craft, things seem to get a little better with confidence being the key.
“My hitting had many ups and downs this season, but I just consistently work on hitting and make sure to stay confident in the batter’s box,” she stated.
As mentioned, Alleghany has some good talent for such a young team, and the whole team believes a run is possible next season if they stick together and focus on all the right things.
“Our team can go pretty far next year as long as we make sure to work together as a team and lift each other up when we need it,” Leitch said.
Leitch’s family also plays a key role in her success by providing opportunities for her that only a family could do at this age.
“My family has always supported me and made sure I had a way to get to practice, and made sure I had everything I need,” Leitch said thankfully.
Just a 10th grader, it is natural to slightly look ahead at your quickly upcoming future, especially since Leitch was part of the last official Mountaineer softball team. But with the options she thinks everyone will have, Leitch is excited about her next step as a junior.
“I’m excited for consolidation because it will give us more new opportunities,” she stated.
A big offseason of work could also benefit the centerfielder, and Leitch knows she will have to put the work on to be as successful next year as she has been this year, and even more so in some regards.
“I am definitely going to stay working on the stuff I need to work on to get better and have more opportunities,” Leitch concluded.
