Allison Kearney

Valley Falls started the softball season with a flurry of runs outscoring their opponents 80-10 and went 6-0 last week to start the season in impressive fashion.

The Dragons opened the season at home and pounded out 15-0 and 13-3 wins to sweep Lyndon, then hit the road for the first time this season and brought out the brooms in Seneca, sweeping Nemaha Central with a pair of 12-2 wins. To wrap up the week Valley Falls took down fellow Northeast Kansas League team Pleasant Ridge to the tune of 13-3 and 15-0 wins, starting the year 6-0.

Contributions have come from multiple players this season so far, but one stands out jumping into a leadership role just as a freshman as Allison Kearney has put her stamp on the start of the season for Dragon softball.

Through the first six games Kearney is hitting a blistering .650 average with 15 runs scored, 10 RBI’s and four walks. The freshman has five extra base hits with three doubles, a triple and a grand slam home run, along with touting a .708 ops.

Allison’s impact was felt early in the season as she blasted her grand slam home run in the season opening series against Lyndon and then put together a pitching gem in the second series of the year against Nemaha Central. In one of the 12-2 wins over Nemaha Central, Kearney pitched a complete game (five innings) giving up only two hits, two walks and no earned runs, while striking out eight.

The Dragons return multiple key players from last year and with the mix of young players like Kearney making impacts in big ways for Valley Falls the Dragons look poised to put together a strong softball season.