Eye On The Prize

Brianne Prince has hit the trifecta.

For the third straight year, the Frewsburg pitcher has earned The Post-Journal’s Player of the Year for softball, the first time in the eight year history of the award that a player has won in three consecutive seasons.

But upon reflection, it shouldn’t be too surprising.

“Since the time she’s been in sixth or seventh grade she’s worked all year,” Frewsburg coach Jon Blanchard said, “It’s been a goal of hers to be the best she can be. It’s paid off for her. She has a lot of natural ability, but, more importantly she has a great work ethic.”

The numbers tell the story.

This season she compiled a 20-3 record with 204 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 142 innings pitched. During that span, she allowed just eight earned runs, compiled a 0.39 earned run average and limited opponents to a measly .136 batting average.

In the playoffs, she recorded back-to-back one-hit shutouts, the last a 6-0 victory over Salamanca in the Section 6 title game. In the Far West Regional, she allowed just three hits and struck out eight, but lost 1-0 to Warsaw, which denied the Bears a second straight trip to the states.

For her career, Prince was 83-25, including 60-9 the last three years,; struck out 902 batters in 695 innings pitched; and posted a 0.65 earned run average.

Offensively, Prince, who will attend St. Bonaventure in the fall, batted .333, drove in 13 runs and had a .526 on-base percentage. Her fielding percentage was a perfect 1.000.

For her efforts, she was named Division 2 Player of the year, as well as being selected to All-County, All-Western New York and WNY All-Academic teams.

But beyond the personal statistics, Prince has been, simply put, a winner. In the last four years the Bears have won four straight Section 6 championships and one Far West Regional title. “That’s what she’s done every year in the playoffs,” Blanchard marveled after Prince’s one-hit gem against Salamanca. “I think the adrenaline gets pumping and she starts throwing the ball harder. She throws a great game.”

She throws a great game.

How many times have we heard that statement in the last five years?

“Once the playoffs start, I get my adrenaline going and start to throw harder,” Prince said.

It was a pleasure to watch.