Liz Kelly recalled when she first arrived on the Hamilton West varsity softball team as a freshman, there were players who didn’t know the most basic of the basics. Like, in a frightening way.
All that has changed in the catcher’s senior season.
“When we came back for our first practice this year we actually had a whole team that could field,” Kelly said. “They knew how to stand in the (batter’s) box and that was really cool. You didn’t have to explain everything again. It was nice to have everyone with previous experience.”
That experience is reflected in Hamilton’s record, as the Hornets were 8-6 as of May 20. It is the first season they have won eight games in at least a decade, and it couldn’t come soon enough for Kelly.
“For me this means a lot,” she said. “I’ve always had the travel ball mentality and when you come to West and you get on a team that’s not performing to where you’re used to, it takes a little bit of a toll. And the girls this year, the attitude, we want it, and it’s actually showing. especially in our Hightstown game (a 5-4 win over the defending Group 4 state champion). It all came together and we really had it going.
“I think there’s just been an overall improvement with our attitude all together. I’ve been playing with a lot of them since I was eight. It’s really something to see this year. I think people underestimated us a lot. This year we’ve come out and showed them we can play and be a force.”
It’s not hard to see why Hamilton was underestimated, considering it had a combined 12 wins in Kelly’s freshman and sophomore seasons (last year was shut down due to Covid-19).
As one of just three seniors on the team along with Ashley Schoener and Cassidy Palylok, Kelly’s natural leadership qualities continue to show themselves.
“We have lower numbers this year, but the kids that are here are all hands on deck,” coach Lindsey Diamond said. “Liz is our leader, she’s consistent. She shows up every single day to practice and she comes with a lot of experience and that means a lot.
“As a hitter, she’s not afraid to do anything. I put her in the number three spot, I put her in the number four spot, I can give her the bunt. She’s mentally there all the time. She’s very respectful of the game, she knows the situation, what she has to do as a hitter.”
Through Hamilton’s first 14 games, Kelly was hitting .548 with four doubles, two home runs and a team-leading 18 RBIs. She had hit safely in all but two games.
“I feel really good up there,” she said. “This year it’s more of a confidence thing. I know I can do it. Facing these pitchers I know what I have, I know what they have. I get up there and I’m pretty calm. When I get up there it’s all mental. You just gotta be ready and prepared.”
Despite her two dingers, Kelly doesn’t consider herself a pure power hitter.
“I would say I’m a line drive hitter,” she said. “I will hit home runs but I wont go up there trying to swing to hit it over the fence.”
But she will go up completely locked in when RBI opportunities present themselves.
“I think I’m pretty good in pressure situations,” she said. “With runners on base I seem able to find a way to move people around. When there’s someone on and I know I can get them in there’s like an extra bonus for confidence. I think some people get a little too nervous sometimes, but for me I want there to be runners on, I want there to be pressure. I love an 0-2 count. I feel like ‘OK, now I can win it.’”
Kelly’s attitude is spawned from a lifetime of playing softball. She started with HGSA and moved on to the Hamilton A’s before settling in with the Witches of West Windsor. In fact, she and Witches teammate Lilo Garrett of Egg Harbor High School will both be playing at Misericordia University in the fall.
As a Hornet freshman, Kelly burst on the scene and was second on the team to senior Julia Martine in nearly every offensive category. She hit .396 with 31 hits, 17 RBIs, four doubles, a home run and 21 runs scored. She improved to .450 with six doubles and 11 RBIs as a sophomore and is enjoying her best statistical season this year.
Her offense only tells part of the story, as Kelly’s performance behind the plate has been key to the development of Allyson Fonollosa. As of May 20 the freshman pitcher had been impressive with six wins (Palylok had the other two), a 3.28 earned run average and 91 strikeouts in 57-2/3 innings.
“Her and I have formed a very good relationship together because I was a catcher too,” Diamond said. “We butt heads sometimes but it’s because I’m the hardest on her because I know what she’s capable of. She has taken in our pitchers and made them best friends to her and given them the opportunity to become better because of all the skills she has.”
Kelly caught at a young age but was soon moved to shortstop. Her mobility limited her at that position and she became a full-time catcher in 14U travel ball.
“I love being a catcher,” she said. “I love being back there. You’re involved in every single play. Every pitch you’re in it. I find if I was in other positions I kind of slow myself down but when I’m back there I know the pressure’s on and I feel like I perform for it.”
This year, numerous Hornets are performing at the same level as their leader, starting with the Acevedo sisters. Through 14 games, junior Cierra Acevedo was hitting .550 with seven doubles, a triple, three home runs, 16 RBIs, 21 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Sophomore Arianna Acevedo was at .473 with three doubles, eight stolen bases and 19 runs scored.
Palylok, who is predominantly a first baseman, was at .545 with three doubles, and junior Martina Fedor was hitting .342 with one homer, one triple, four doubles and 11 RBIs. Two freshmen were also big contributors. Angelina Comerford was batting .314 with three homers, three doubles and 12 RBIs, while Fonollosa was hitting just .242 but had two homers and was third on the team with 14 RBIs.
The new found success was not a surprise to the coach or the catcher.
“We had a lot of promise with this team,” Diamond said. “We have two great pitchers on our staff this year. They rotate out well, they’re two different types of pitchers too which is awesome to utilize them together in a game situation. We have a great outfield this year with the Acevedos. We have more home runs (11) than we’ve had in the last 10 years.”
Kelly concurred, saying “Yeah I really did expect this. I knew we had Allyson coming in as a freshman pitcher to help out Cass. I knew we wouldn’t be short listed again in pitching, and we had Cierra and all the power hitters back.”
Helping to bring it all together has been Kelly, who loves the spirit of this year’s team.
“Sometimes the attitude wasn’t what I thought a varsity attitude should be in years prior,” she said. “I feel me and Cassidy have stepped up as leaders and tried to get everyone up for games and keep them cheering. Its’ a lot different. In years past the dugout was always so quiet and mute and no one was really into it; whereas this year everyone takes it seriously. They want to be there and want to win. The whole attitude is just uplifted.”
It is the kind of attitude Kelly has possessed all along, and it hasn’t been lost on Diamond, now in her 10th season.
“I would say Liz ranks as one of the top five I’ve coached here,” the coach said. “And she’s probably one of the most coachable and respectful people I’ve ever coached here.”
Hamilton High Hornets senior Liz Kelly hit .548 through the first 14 games of the season. (Photo by Rich Fisher.),
