DANI GIRL: Hun School softball pitcher Dani Beal fires the ball in recent action. Junior Beal’s progress this spring has helped Hun go 8-4 after a shaky 1-2 start. In upcoming action, the Raiders host Steinert on May 2 and Northern Burlington on May 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Even though the Hun School softball team lost two of its first three games this spring, Kathy Quirk liked the work ethic she was seeing from her players on a daily basis.

“We practice hitting everyday; we have stations and we hit basketballs, footballs, and soccer balls,” said longtime Hun head coach Quirk.

“We play little games, the girls have been working really hard. When we separate into teams for practice games, it is intense. Neither team wants to lose.”

In the wake of losing 7-3 to Blair in early April to fall to 1-2, that intensity started to pay dividends as the Hun bats came alive. The Raiders hit double figures in wins over Princeton Day School (11-1) and Lawrenceville (11-6) and have proceeded to go on a roll that has seen them win seven of their last nine games.

“We had a tough loss against Blair; we have been playing well since that game,” said Quirk. “We got rolling with the win over Lawrenceville; we have been improving everyday.”

The team’s improvement was graphically demonstrated last week when the Raiders hosted Peddie. After having fallen 13-2 to the Falcons in the season opener on March 28, Hun topped Peddie 5-3 in the rematch.

“We had the game of our life against Peddie,” said Quirk, whose team jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. “Dani [Beal] putting them down in the top of the first gave her confidence.”

The progress of junior pitcher Beal has been a key factor in Hun’s hot streak.

“She stepped up on the pitching mound; she has confidence in her teammates,” said Quirk of Beal who pitched well in a losing cause last Saturday as Hun fell 3-2 at Blair to move to 8-4.

“She knows she is not going to strike out everybody and that her teammates will make the plays behind her.”

Junior catcher Carey Million has been making plenty of big plays for the Raiders. “Million has done a nice job behind the plate and at bat,” said Quirk.

“She has home runs in back-to-back games. They were not inside the park; they were line drives over the fence. It is nice to see.”

Hun has been getting some nice work in the infield from Julia Blake and Joey Crivelli.

“Julia Blake, for a freshman, is playing great at shortstop,” said Quirk. “She had 10 assists and four putouts in the win over Peddie. She is playing with confidence; she has also been hitting well. Crivelli doing a solid job at third base, she is coming through with big plays.”

Sophomore outfielder Kristen Manochio has emerged as another big plus for Quirk’s squad.

“Manochio is doing a nice job; she’s making contact and moving people around the bases,” said Quirk. “She is solid for us in the outfield.”

Quirk is confident her team can keep up its solid play when it competes in the state Prep A playoffs later this month.

“No matter where we play, we have to have the same intensity,” said Quirk, whose team hosts Steinert on May 2 and Northern Burlington on May 8. “I am very happy with how we are playing, I am hoping we can keep on track.”