Agape Freedom Sports LLC

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

Mid Valley Spartanettes lost the majority of their infield starters from last season — a team that made a run all the way to the state semifinals.

It was a real concern around the program.

You could feel it.

I remember standing along the fence during warmups before last year’s league championship game, talking with one of the seniors’ moms. Even in that moment — with everything still right in front of them — her mind drifted ahead. She mentioned how worried she was about the following season, knowing just how much Mid Valley was about to lose in the infield.

And honestly… I understood it.

That’s a natural thought.

But I remember my response clear as day — focus on this year.

Because that’s always been my mindset.

And beyond that… good programs don’t panic. Good coaches don’t rebuild.

They reload.

And when you talk about that kind of consistency, that kind of culture, you’re talking about a coach like Michael Piercy — one of the top softball minds in District 2.

Fast forward to today.

After another strong win, the Spartanettes sit at 5-1 on the season. And this hasn’t been a soft start — they’ve already been tested against quality teams.

But what stood out most wasn’t just the win.

It was the answer.

All those questions from the offseason… they’ve already been answered.

The youth. The new starters. The next group.

They’re ready.

“The last couple years, everybody seems to say it’s going to be a rebuilding year for us, and we keep proving them wrong. Coach Piercy sets high goals and expectations, so coming onto the team, everybody knows how they need to play to be a part of such a successful team. Our local youth programs also play a huge part in building our players, allowing us to play and learn from a very young age. As it’s my fourth and final year on this team, I’ve gotten the chance to play with so many amazing athletes and young women, but I think the most important part is that whether or not everyone is friends, at softball we all come together to work as a team and cheer each other on. Both the coaches and the girls play a huge role in that,” said Mid Valley’s Abby Mackey.

And nowhere is that more evident than in the infield — the very area that once felt like the biggest question mark.

That freshman shortstop? Angela Laskowski.

She hasn’t just stepped in… she’s taken over.

She leads the team in batting average, hits, and runs scored, and she’s already launched two home runs this season. For a freshman, in that spot, in this program… that’s not just impressive.

That’s program-defining.

And she’s not alone.

Sophomores Avery Tinney and Ariana Davey — both first-year starters — have stepped right into the fire and delivered. Tinney is tied for second on the team with a .500 average, while Davey continues to produce right behind her.

That’s not rebuilding.

That’s reloading.

That’s culture.

That’s coaching.

That’s what Michael Piercy does best.

“I like how well Coach prepares us for games and big-game situations. He makes sure to work with the team so we can become as strong as we are,” said Ava Hazleton.

“One of our main focuses as a team is the importance of the moment. You can only control what is happening at the time, so if you win enough small plays or outs, eventually you win the game. In our dugout, we have a sign that we need to hit every time we enter — it says ‘I’m in.’ I think that this is a huge part of our team’s success because when we hit that sign and walk onto the field, we’re committing ourselves to the team. No one person is winning any of our games for us — it’s a group effort. If we didn’t work together and encourage each other, we wouldn’t be successful,” Mackey added.

Now let’s take you to today — Mid Valley vs. Old Forge.

You could feel it early.

This was one of those games where both teams came out sharp, locked in, and ready.

Top of the first, Ava Hazleton set the tone right away.

Three up, three down.

Clean. Efficient. Confident.

Old Forge answered in the bottom half with the same kind of energy. Scoreless. Tight. The kind of start that made it feel like this one might take a little while to crack open.

And it did.

In the bottom of the second, Mid Valley struck first.

Avery Tinney ripped a double to right, and Natalie Hricenak followed with one of her own to center, driving Tinney in. Just like that, the Spartanettes had a 1-0 lead, and you could feel the energy begin to shift.

By the third, Mid Valley started stacking pressure.

Angela Laskowski lined a single to center. Parker Bennett followed with a single to left. Then Ariana Davey stepped in and delivered, knocking a single to center that brought Laskowski home for a 2-0 lead.

“My first at-bat really gave me feedback on what I needed to do in my next at-bats during the game. I made adjustments based on what she was throwing.” Said Angela Laskowski

She added: “We prepare to face skilled pitchers every day in practice. That preparation gives us the confidence to hit smart and aggressive.”

“It’s very important for me and the top of the lineup because we strive to set a standard for the game. Our whole team is playing as one right now. We all feed off each others energy and we try to be consistent through the lineup.” Said Angela Laskowski

Moments later, Tinney put the ball in play, Bennett crossed the plate, and the lead grew to 3-0.

Mid Valley still wasn’t done.

Another run came home on a groundout, pushing the lead to 4-0 as the Spartanettes kept building — calm, steady, and in control.

But Old Forge didn’t go away.

In the fourth, the Blue Devils answered.

Kate O’Hearn doubled. Lilianna Lenceski worked a walk. Juliette DeStefano came through with an RBI hit. Then another hit followed. Then another.

Just like that, the Mid Valley lead was cut to 4-3.

You could feel the tension creep right back into the game.

Momentum was starting to lean.

That’s when good teams respond.

And in the fifth, Mid Valley responded in a big way.

Hazleton reached. Tinney got on. Marley Morano dropped down a bunt single.

Bases loaded.

Then came the moment.

Natalie Hricenak stepped in — and didn’t miss.

A blast to center.

Gone.

A grand slam that exploded off the bat, blew the game back open, and sent a jolt through the entire field.

Just like that, it was 8-3.

“Natalie brings a lot of experience from last season and has proven that she’s a legitimate threat at the plate. She has a naturally happy demeanor and doesn’t let previous mistakes affect her next at-bat. Her grand slam was a game changer. I couldn’t be prouder of her,” said Mid Valley head coach Michael Piercy.

Momentum?

Back. Fully.

From there, Mid Valley tightened its grip.

The Spartanettes added another run in the sixth to make it 9-3. The defense stayed sharp. The energy stayed high. And the pressure stayed on Old Forge.

“It’s very important to me, especially being a third-year starter, to make key hits and plays. Pitch selection and attacking the ball early in the count that I think I can get ahold of really helps me. Getting on base and creating havoc is how we win games,” said Mid Valley third baseman Parker Bennett.

She added, “Old Forge came out super aggressive, and we had to match that energy. Being loud and cheering everyone on really helped us collect the important hits we needed to win this game today.”

To its credit, Old Forge made one last push in the seventh.

A walk. A double. A couple of runs scored.

For a moment, it made things interesting.

But not interesting enough.

Because this Mid Valley team didn’t flinch.

And when it was all said and done, the Spartanettes had piled up 14 hits in a complete offensive performance from top to bottom.

Angela Laskowski led the way with three hits, continuing to prove that the moment is not too big for her — not even close. Avery Tinney added two hits and scored twice, while Marley Morano drove in two and made her presence felt throughout the game.

“Angela is doing a tremendous job so far this season. She loves to play softball and works as hard as anybody. She’s doing a great job of being a terrific teammate and following our expectations. I couldn’t be prouder of her effort and attitude during the first month of the season. We think that if she keeps this up, she has the potential to do some great things,” Piercy said.

“We all knew when Angela was coming up from eighth grade that she was going to have an important role on the team. In the field, she has made many phenomenal plays this year. At the plate, she makes super hard contact and finds holes in the defense,” Bennett said.

“Angela is a great player. She works hard both on and off the field and makes others want to be better in the process. Her success at the plate has contributed greatly to our team so far this season,” Mackey added.

And of course, there was Hricenak.

Two hits. Five RBIs.

And one swing that changed everything.

That grand slam didn’t just add four runs to the scoreboard.

It broke the game open.

And sent a message.

In the circle, Ava Hazleton delivered when it mattered most. She struck out nine, stayed composed, and kept control of the game. Even when Old Forge made that late push, she never let it slip away.

“My curveball and inside drop were definitely working best for me today,” said Mid Valley pitcher Ava Hazleton.

She added, “I finished the game strong by having a positive attitude and a positive mindset.”

Old Forge showed fight. They put pressure on late, made Mid Valley work, and showed they’re a team that is not going to go away quietly this season.

But this one belonged to the Spartanettes.

From the first pitch to the final out, they showed exactly what they’re becoming.

“After the first time around the lineup, we made some adjustments and had some good at-bats. It was good to see our girls make adjustments to their approach based on the pitcher’s tendencies. We stayed poised when Old Forge had runners on base and made some big plays when we needed them,” Piercy said.

Not a team trying to figure things out.

Not a team rebuilding.

A team that already knows who it is.

Final score: Mid Valley 9, Old Forge 5.

And if there were any doubts about this group coming into the season…

They’ve been answered.

Loud and clear.

Because at Mid Valley, reloading isn’t just a mindset.

It’s a standard.

And right now, that standard looks just as strong as ever.

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