Raiders softball knocks off Hill in opener
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
The season couldn’t have started much better for Carey Million and the Hun School softball team.
The Raiders senior catcher homered in her first at bat to cap a three-run first inning and Hun pounded The Hill School, 9-0, in the season opener Thursday.
”I think we’re going to have a good season,” said Million, whose two-run home run knocked in Dani Beal. “It’s good to get our kinks out early. We did really well, and that set a high precedent for the rest of the season. I think we can live up to it.”
In the field, Million was on the receiving end of a promising start for pitcher Alexis Goeke. The freshman struck out 12 and allowed just two hits. Hill threatened to score just once with a runner on third base and one out in the fifth inning, but Goeke struck out the next hitter and then she raced down a short bloop and threw to first to make the final put out of the inning.
”She has good velocity on her ball, and she’s young but you can see the spin on her pitches,” Million said. “She’s tall and she has a lot of power. I think that’s what beat them. Knowing she’s a freshman, I don’t think they expected her to be as dominant as she was today. But she has good velocity on her ball for a freshman.”
The Raiders jumped out early with a lead-off triple by sophomore shortstop Julia Blake, who scored on a fielder’s choice. Million’s blast gave Goeke more than enough run support.
”My first at bat, I was kind of looking for a good pitch to hit because I’m trying to have fun this year,” said Million, who will continue her softball career at Elon University. “I was a little nervous first at bat. I’m not going to lie.
”I was happy. You’re not always going to hit home runs. I’m happy for it.”
The Raiders are happy about their start. They are 1-0 in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League with a trip to Blair on deck Wednesday and Peddie on Friday.
”I was very pleased,” said Hun head coach Kathy Quirk. “Goeke did a nice job on the mound. We came out the first inning and hit the ball. Our top five players have just been doing a nice job and I hope they continue, though we left the bases loaded three times.”
Nine stranded runners was the only thing the Raiders could be upset about in their start. Beal knocked in a run in the second inning, Hun scored two more in the third inning and three more in the sixth inning. Million’s blast started things off for the Raiders on the right foot.
”I think it just boosts their morale,” Quirk said. “It psyches them up.”
Million along with center fielder Kristen Manochio had three runs batted in apiece, while Alexa Fares also drove in a run. The Raiders had 10 hits on the day, something they have seen in its preseason trip to Florida.
”I think it came back with us,” Quirk said. “I think it’s one of the better hitting teams we’ve had, and I think they’re just confident up there at the plate. I think if they just keep their confidence and hit within their means, we’ll score runs.”
Million is more confident with this year’s team as well. Hun has its entire lineup back except for outfielder Emily Kuchar, who graduated from last year’s 9-7 squad.
”We were disappointed because we were close in a lot of games,” Million said. “I think at any time any team can beat anyone. I think we could have beat Peddie last year, we could have won MAPLs, I think we could have won the states. Knowing we’re that close is what’s motivating us for this year.
”We all get along. We’ve had that whole other year to learn and grow. Julia Blake was a freshman last year and was getting adjusted to playing high school softball. Now that she’s back and she’s one of our top five players on the team, just that experience is what’s motivating us and that’s what we think will help us this year.”
Million is one of three seniors along with Beal, who will also pitch again this year, and second baseman Joey Crivelli, who moves over from third base when Goeke pitches and Beal plays third.
”We’ve got a few new freshmen,” Million said. “Our pitcher has a lot of talent, our shortstop is young and came back better, and a lot of us came back and worked harder in the offseason. I think having more experience together throughout the past two or three years, I think that’s also going to help us be stronger. I think we’ll have a pretty good season this year.”
With Goeke and Beal, the Raiders also feel good about their ability to give opponents a different look in the circle each game.
”I think pitching is probably going to determine games, especially within the MAPL,” Million said. “Dani worked hard in the offseason and she’s back better than last year and she did pretty well last season.
”It’s good to be able to mix pitchers. In the MAPLs, we play the teams more than once so we pitched Goeke against Hill this time, and we might pitch Dani against them next time. We can mix up things and people won’t know what we’re going to do. It keeps them guessing.”
Whoever is pitching is fortunate to have Million as a backstop. She is in her third year at Hun, where she also plays basketball.
”She brings a lot of leadership,” Quirk said. “We depend on her behind the plate and with the bat. We think she does a nice job. She knows a lot about the game. She does a nice job with calling the game and keeping morale up.”
In belting a home run to ignite the offense and helping guide a freshman pitcher to a shutout in her first high school start, Carey Million did everything she could to get the Hun season started on an uplifting note.