LEADING ROLE: Hun School softball player Sam Jolly lays down a bunt in a 2023 game. Last week, sophomore second baseman and leadoff hitter Jolly starred as top-seeded Hun defeated fifth-seeded Lawrenceville 3-0 in the Prep A state semis. Jolly went 2 for 2 with a walk, run, and RBI in the May 14 contest. Two days later, Jolly went 1 for 3 with a run in a losing cause as the Raiders feel 3-2 to third-seeded Pingry in the Prep A final. Hun ended the spring with an 18-3 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Sam Jolly’s uniform was covered with dirt stains after the Hun School softball team defeated visiting Lawrenceville 3-0 in the Prep A state semi last week.

Those stains were badges of honor for Jolly as she sparked the Hun hitting attack from her leadoff spot, going 2 for 2 with a walk, run, and RBI helping the top-seeded Raiders edge the fifth-seeded Big Red.

“I have great hitters behind me so I try to get on base any way I can,” said sophomore second baseman Jolly. “Once I was on base, I tried to get in scoring position any way I could. I had stolen bases today out there.”

After working a walk in the bottom of the third inning, Jolly stole two bases and came home on a single by Jamie Staub as Hun went ahead 1-0.

An inning later, Jolly stroked a double to left field to score Piper Morey as the Raiders doubled their lead.

“It was a good at-bat, I was trying to get the ball in play,” said Jolly, who fouled off several pitches before getting the hit. “Piper being at second helped me more. I was trying to get the ball somewhere. I know she is a fast runner so I had to trust on my players there.”

Despite having defeated Lawrenceville twice in regular season action, Jolly and her teammates sensed that things would be different in the postseason matchup.

“We knew that beating Lawrenceville three times would be hard,” said Jolly. “Their pitcher (Emma Sung) pitched a great game but we found time to capitalize. We did what we had to do.”

Coming off a stellar freshman season that saw her hit .672 with team highs in hits (43) and runs (32), Jolly felt the weight of expectations this spring.

“I would say the pressure is definitely harder, I had a really good year last year,” said Jolly, who also plays travel ball for Jersey Outlaws Gold. “I struggled a little bit in the beginning but as the season went on, I realized just have fun and play. It is high school ball, travel is a lot different. I am playing with my classmates and friends, it is good.”

With Hun having won two straight Prep A titles, the Raiders were excited to make it to a third straight final. The third time, though, didn’t prove to be a charm as third-seeded Pingry edged the Raiders 3-2 last Thursday at Diamond Nation in Flemington.

“Every year we set our goals and that was one get to the finals,” said Jolly who went 1 for 3 with a run in the final as Hun ended the spring with an 18-3 record. “We played them before so we kind of know them. We will know them but we still have to go out like we have never played them before. It is a big game, the energy will be up for sure.”

Hun head coach Kathy Quirk credited Jolly with giving the Raiders plenty of energy this spring.

“Sam is great; I leave her alone, she does what she wants because she knows how to read people better than anybody,” said Quirk of Jolly who ended up batting .524 this spring with a team-best 38 runs. “She reads where the players are and what she can do with the ball.”

In reflecting on round three with Lawrenceville, Quirk credited the Big Red with stepping up.

“I knew it was going to be tough,” said Quirk. “Their pitcher was much better than before. It was tough for us, we have been hitting the ball.

We didn’t hit the ball on Saturday (in a 1-0 loss to Robbinsville in the Mercer County Tournament semis).

Hun got some good pitching from senior star and Villanova commit Lexi Kobryn against Lawrenceville as she dealt with a muddy diamond. Kobryn has 12 strikeouts and yielded just two hits in earning the shutout.

“Lexi had a nice game on the mound,” said Quirk. “It wasn’t her best stuff, these conditions didn’t help her either.”

Heading into the Prep A final, Quirk knew her squad faced a challenge as it pursued a three-peat.

“It is not going to be easy, it was one of their goals,” said Quirk. “One of their goals was to advance further in the Mercer Counties and they did that. They won the MAPL [Mid-Atlantic Prep League].”

In the loss to Pingry, Hun failed to advance base runners in several innings.

“We left nine people on base; twice we had bases loaded, we just couldn’t capitalize,” said Quirk, noting that the Raiders were also hurt by some fielding miscues. “I don’t know what it was.”

The Raiders did push across two runs in the seventh on a triple by Kobryn and Quirk was hoping that Hun could rally for the win.

“We had girls on third and second and I thought we were going to pop one through and at least send it to extra innings,” said Quirk. “It didn’t happen.”

Although the loss in the Prep A final was disappointing, a lot of good things happened this spring for the Raiders.

“We had a great season, you can’t take anything away from the girls,” said Quirk. “We outscored our opponents 190 to 13, it was phenomenal.”

The team’s two senior leaders, Kobryn and Janie Staub, set a great tone.

“They have just been great role models for four years,” said Quirk. “Lexi was a little bit more vocal than Jamie. She was always trying to get the girls up. She did a nice job with her leadership. Jamie is a quiet leader who leads by example. She works hard all of the time. They are going to be missed.”

With such key returning players as catcher Emma Eisenberg, third baseman Bri Riviello, shortstop Kailey Jacobs, outfielder Rowan Lacy, and outfielder-pitcher Anna Murphy along with Jolly,
the Raiders should be hard to beat again next year.

“We do have a good group coming back,” said Quirk. “Anna will go on the pitcher’s mound. We do have another freshman coming in that pitches also so I am sure they will be sharing time. I am looking for Sam to step in there because she is a great leader.”

Jolly, for her part, credited the leadership of Kobryn and Staub with helping the group come together as it developed a special camaraderie.

“Lexi and Jamie have built this program up, they had to deal with COVID their freshmen year,” said Jolly. “I would say our connection is really good this year and every year. We missed our seniors, but we were able to build off last year. We are like sisters, we know everything about each other. We are such a close, tight-knit group of girls so I definitely think it helps our chemistry on the team. We can trust everybody and know they have our backs.”