Being intentionally walked is either a wise strategy given a certain situation or a sign of ultimate respect on the diamond. This holds true in both baseball and softball. While Barry Bonds still holds the season record for being intentionally walked (and six of the top 10), Washington Nationals’ outfielder Bryce Harper has been making news on that front recently for earning six walks in a game against the Chicago Cubs (and 13 over the course of the series). Though clearly on a different level of playing field, and sport, one high school softball player now sort of knows how it feels to be given what we can only describe now as “The Bryce Harper Treatment.”
We shift our attention to the state of Texas, where playoffs for high school softball are ongoing. Mansfield Legacy senior catcher Reagan Wright must be a force to reckon with, because she was walked in all 13 of her plate appearances in a three-game series against Sulphur Springs during the Class 5A Region II quarterfinals. Wright walked five times each in the first and third games of the series and three more times in the second game. But this was no common occurrence for Wright. According to USA Today, Wright had walked just 10 times in her previous 30 games.
Wright had been swinging a hot bat coming into the quarterfinal series, which must have affected the way Sulphur Springs handled her. Wright was riding an 18-game hitting streak and had connected for a home run in four straight games entering the matchup. She had recently been named the softball player of the week by the Dallas Morning News’ SportsDay, and is set to attend Texas-Arlington this fall.
“I’ve been a coach for 12 years,” Wright’s coach, Amie Prater, told SportsDay earlier this month. “I’ve had some phenomenal athletes. Reagan, when it comes to just knowing the game and knowing her swing, is probably one of the best softball players I’ve coached. She’s very smart. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to get on base.”
That patience paid off for Wright. She ended up scoring six runs despite not having an official at-bat in the series.
