Seniors Shine as Eagles Celebrate Family, Friendship, and Home Runs on Senior Night

by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News

Olivia Slaughter and Morgan Hart were able to celebrate their late grandfather Jim's birthday by hitting inside-the-park home runs. Hart added a second home run - that went over the outfield fence to add to the special moment.

"We know our grandpa is in heaven, watching us play, and what a great way to tell him happy birthday," Slaughter said.

Hart agreed.

"We win on Senior Night, and we get to make our grandpa proud in heaven," Hart said. "This is a game we will always remember." 

There was another element that made the game special.
     
Coach Flip Courter had planned on starting his nine seniors for an inning or two, before replacing them with his usual starters.

"When the girls found out, all the underclassmen came up to me and said that's not the plan," Courter said. "They wanted to cheer on their seniors the whole game.

"It just so happened that we had nine seniors, so we played them the entire game, and the girls in the dugout were having so much fun cheering for them. That moment made me realize how lucky I am to be a part of this team - our family."

And those nine seniors took care of business as Hart hit an inside-the-park home run and followed it with a blast over the left-field fence. Slaughter also hit an inside-the-park home run and Sydnee Wagner smashed her team-high 11th home run in support of starter Sidney Hemme.

Hemme got off to a rough start, throwing eight balls in her first 10 pitches, but a visit from her longtime best friend, catcher Olivia Slaughter, calmed her down as she went on to strike out the next eight batters in a row. Hemme allowed just one hit and struck out nine in four innings.

"I was just too pumped up at the start of the game," Hemme said, "and Olivia came out and helped me focus on what I needed to do to throw strikes. She always knows what I'm feeling when I pitch. We have been best friends for so long, and I love it when she's behind the plate."

Slaughter agreed.

"Well, I was happy I could calm Sidney down and happy that I could support her with my home run, " said Slaughter, who has three home runs this season. "When I saw the ball get past the outfielder, I knew I had a good chance of scoring. And it made it even more  fun because of Morgan's home run."

Hart hit the inside-the-park home run in the third and followed with a blast over the left field fence in the fourth.

"That was my first inside-the-park home run - ever!" Hart said. "You might have noticed that I'm not very fast, so I as really surprised when Coach Courter waved me home as I was running to third base. The next home run was much easier (laughing). I didn't have to run so fast."

Wagner is never surprised when she hits a home run.

"I can feel it, I can even predict when I'm going to hit a home run," Wagner said, as her teammates nodded in agreement. "I go up to the plate and my bat feels so light, and I feel so confident, that I know I'm going to hit a home run."

The 22-5 Eagles claimed the five-inning mercy rule victory when Hemme stroked an RBI double and Addie Wright added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Chrisman's Myla Bruch had the Bears lone hit, a fifth-inning single.

The Grain Valley High School softball team enjoyed a special Senior Night - and the back story is as heartfelt as the 10-0 victory over visiting William Chrisman Thursday evening.
​Photo credit: Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News
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