Apr 13, 2016 4 min read

Name: Brin Hunter

School: McGuffey

Year: Freshman

Sport: Softball

Hunter’s week: Though the Highlanders’ freshman shortstop only played in one game, she made the most of it. Hunter went 2-for-3 with two home runs, three RBI and a walk in a 9-5 win over Section 2-AA rival Waynesburg at McGuffey Community Park last Wednesday.

Hunter led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo homer and added a two-run homer in the second.

“I was mainly just worried about what pitch – if it was going to be a strike or not,” Hunter said. “I was thinking to swing as soon as I saw it coming across the plate.”

Leading off: McGuffey only lost one senior from last season, which ended with a 14-3 overall record and a first-round playoff loss to Burrell, but that one starter lost led the Highlanders in batting average and was the leadoff hitter.

Oh, and she is arguably one of the most decorated female athletes to graduate from McGuffey. That would be Sammie Weiss, the three-time Observer-Reporter Girls Basketball Player of the Year and a 2,000-point scorer.

When head coach Jason Kern sat down with Hunter before the season, he asked a simple question: “Do you know Sammie Weiss?” She didn’t. He knew then that she was ready to take over as the shortstop and leadoff hitter.

“The good thing about Brin is she never played with Sammie,” Kern said. “They never played together and one of the first things we asked her in a meeting was do you know who Sammie Weiss is? She didn’t know, so there wasn’t any expectations to live up to anyone else’s resume. That made that decision easier.”

Hunter leads McGuffey (3-0, 5-0) in almost every offensive category, including a .471 average, a .591 on-base percentage, two home runs, 10 runs and six extra-base hits.

In her first two at-bats against nine-time defending section champion Carmichaels, Hunter smacked two doubles. Against the Raiders, she delivered two home runs.

“It makes me nervous to bat leadoff and I know Coach Kern knows that about me,” Hunter said. “He always just tries to calm me down and tells me to worry about the next pitch.”

Highlanders rolling: Postponements and scheduling will give McGuffey at least a 12-day break between games, but Kern isn’t worried. With a strong senior class and freshmen playing at a high level, including three starters in the infield.

“I have three starting freshmen in the infield right now and we have all confidence in them,” Kern said. “We also have depth on the bench. It’s a blessing as a coach to have the scenario that we have at McGuffey this year.”

It can be easy for freshmen to become intimidated when making the transition from middle school softball to varsity, but Hunter has the benefit of having an experienced group of upperclassmen with playoff experience and know that every player is needed to win a section title.

“I was a little bit nervous at first, but the seniors have been really nice and make me feel like I’m at home,” Hunter said. “We focus on the game we’re in. We’re not worried about the game afterwards.”

Compiled by Lance Lysowski