Panthers fall to the best
Central York softball fans had a lot to be proud of this season.
Coach Dave Marsh’s crew overcame some early stumbles and made it all the way to the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals before bowing out to Latrobe in 13 innings, 1-0.
The fact that the Panthers struck out 25 times in Monday’s game should mean nothing. Latrobe’s hard-throwing Alexa Bryson has been doing that to the opposition all year.
Entering that game against Central, Bryson had fanned 282 batters in 156 innings, while posting a miniscule ERA of 0.13.
She was named the 2007-2008 Gatorade Pennsylvania Softball Player of the Year and is a finalist for the national honors.
Gatorade annually recognizes one winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C. in 12 sports, with the selection process being administered by Rise Magazine.
It is not just on the field that Bryson excels either. She maintained a 3,81 grade-point-average and is a volunteer with several community organizations. She is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society and the Latin National Honor Society.
But on the field is where Bryson gained much of her notoriety, which Marsh will tell you she is worth the hype.
She is perhaps the hardest thrower I have seen in 17 years of watching girls softball and compliments her heat with an amazing changeup.
Of course what is really hard to believe is Bryson generates all that power with just a 5-foot-1 frame.
The recent grad, who will attend and play softball for Robert Morris University, also seems to be a genuinely nice kid. She made sure to tell me how good she thought Central freshman pitching sensation Lauren Walker pitched during their epic battle.
Although the Panthers lost in their chance to make it to the state championship games, the team likely knows they lost by just one run and had some opportunities to score against the very best the state has to offer.
Well done.
