Hillcrest Academy recognizes its softball seniors

By Paul D. Bowker
Posted 7/1/21

Meredith Blossom, a Hillcrest Academy senior, stood outside the batter’s box Monday, bat in hand, and glanced toward the Ravens third-base coach to see if there was a play on.

Dad clapped …

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Hillcrest Academy recognizes its softball seniors

Posted

Meredith Blossom, a Hillcrest Academy senior, stood outside the batter’s box Monday, bat in hand, and glanced toward the Ravens third-base coach to see if there was a play on.

Dad clapped his hands and shouted words of encouragement: “Let’s go, Meredith!”

For the last two years, Kent Blossom has been the head coach at Hillcrest as Meredith has finished out the last two seasons of her high school softball career.

“It’s been a lot of fun. It’s cool to have him as coach here,” Meredith Blossom said.

On Monday night, Meredith Blossom was among four HIllcrest senior softball players honored on Senior Night between games of their doubleheader against Wapello.

Joining Meredith were Madeline Fox, Yani Gutierrez-Larios and Sarah Miller.

“It’s pretty nice to see the special recognition, not only for her (Meredith) but also our other seniors,” Kent Blossom said. “It’s extremely special to me.”

There is a reason for that. An already strong father-daughter relationship grew in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic questioned the existence of a season and the Ravens needed a coach. Kent Blossom., who had already coached both the softball and baseball teams at the school from 2002 to 2011, stepped in to help the Ravens again.

But instead of watching Meredith from the cheap seats, he had a spot in the dugout, often sitting next to his daughter because she is a designated hitter when not playing second base – the same position Kent Blossom once played.

Add in all the bus trips around southeastern Iowa and daily practice sessions.

“To see it come to an end is bittersweet,” Kent Blossom said. “Watching that coach-player relationship mature in a way that’s been very healthy and very positive.”

While softball and home life have remained mostly separate, there will still be the absence of talking softball at the dinner table.

“Sometimes we go home and talk about games if it’s a memorable one, I guess, like something that we want to talk about,” Meredith said. “Usually, we don’t talk about the games or softball. It’s kind of separate. Not because we try to, but it’s just how it works.”

Said Kent Blossom: “It’s blended at home and here on the field in a way that I think is healthy. Hopefully, she feels the same way, too. I think our relationship has grown as a result of us being together.”

Even at school, away from the softball field, Meredith is surrounded by family. Her mother, Theresa Blossom, is Director of Finance at Hillcrest Academy.

As the Ravens play the final games of Meredtih Blossom’s career and three of her teammates, they’ll attempt to chase down the school’s first softball victory since 2019. Kent Blossom has seen his team get “stronger and faster” over the last two years, he said, but a win has been elusive.

“Obviously it’s been a struggle these last two years,” Kent Blossom said. “We haven’t found a winning side yet in terms of the score. … Just getting stronger, getting faster. It is paying off on the field.

“I still continue to be excited for the future.”

 

Wapello 10, Hillcrest 0

Wapello 16, Hillcrest 3

The Arrows, who are ranked No. 13 in Class 2A, piled up 26 runs and 22 hits in a doubleheader sweep on Monday at Hillcrest.

Wapello scored eight runs in the first two innings of Game 1 and finished off the victory by scoring two runs in the fifth inning to invoke the 10-run rule.

Senior pitcher Aliyah Lolling allowed just one Hillcrest hit.

The Arrows (17-6) also started quickly in Game 2, scoring two runs in the first inning, one in the second, and three runs in both the third and fourth innings. 

The Ravens scored three runs in the fifth, but Wapello added two runs in the sixth and five in the seventh.

 

Mediapolis 17, Hillcrest 12

Eighth-grader Malia Yoder had two hits and drove in four runs, and five other Ravens had a pair of hits as Hillcrest scored its most runs of the season.

But Mediapolis (2-18) overcame a seven-run deficit for the victory on June 23 at Hillcrest.

Meredith Blossom, Evelyn Gerber, Esther Hughes, Grace Miller and Madeline Fox also had two hits for the Ravens. Fox scored three times and drove in two runs. Hughes scored twice and drove in two runs.

The Ravens scored two runs in the first inning and six runs in the second to take an 8-1 lead, but the Bulldogs rallied to score two runs in the third inning, three in the fourth, seven in the sixth and four in the seventh.

The Ravens responded by scoring one run in fourth inning and three in the fifth, but they were shut out the final two innings as the Bulldogs scored 11 times and defeated Hillcrest for the second time this year.

Jenna Parrott had four hits and drove in four runs for Mediapolis.

Hillcrest starting pitcher Leah Bontrager struck out six.

 

 

Pekin 13, Hillcrest 1

Pekin scored 13 runs on 10 hits in four innings to defeat the Ravens on June 24 in Pekin.

The Panthers (7-15) scored three runs in the first inning, two runs in the second, five runs in the third and three in the fourrh to finish off the game. Allison Bainbridge hit two doubles, driving in three runs, and she scored three runs.

Gerber had one of Hillcrest’s five hits and scored a run. Also getting hits were Fox, Blossom, Hughes and Yani Gutierrez.