Featured Top Story C. JEMAL HORTON COLUMN: Despite losing GMC tourney title, Bulls softball remains threat to win it all C. JEMAL HORTON May 6, 2023 May 6, 2023 Updated May 6, 2023 0 Senior pitcher Anna Dew powers a strong Hickory Ridge softball team with her right arm, striking out 186 batters this season with an E.R.A. of 0.32. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save C. JEMAL HORTON HARRISBURG – They fell short of one goal.kAmw6J[ :E 92AA6?D :? DA@CED] %92E’D H9J[ 2D D@>6 D2J[ 2 DA@CE:?8 6G6?E :D E96 36DE C62=:EJ %' J@F 42? H2E49]k^Am C. JEMAL HORTONjhorton@independenttribune.com kAm$@ ?@H[ 27E6C uC:52J ?:89E’D c\b =@DD E@ |@@C6DG:==6 :? E96 vC62E6C |6EC@ c r@?76C6?46 E@FC?2>6?E 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6[ E96 w:4<@CJ #:586 D@7E32== A=2J6CD 92G6 ~}{* – 2?5 E92E’D 2 G6CJ D2C42DE:4 “@?=J” 7@C E9@D6 @7 J@F H9@ >:89E >:DD E96 A@:?E – 244@>A=:D965 @?6\2?5\2\A@DD:3=6 8@2=D E9:D D62D@?]k^AmkAm“~FC 7:CDE 8@2= H2D E@ H:? E96 4@?76C6?46 @FEC:89E :? 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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO kAmq649E@= 96CD6=7 :D 3@F?5 7@C 4@==686 32==[ 92G:?8 :?<65 H:E9 #257@C5 &?:G6CD:EJ] $96 9:ED 7@C 2 C@3FDE ]dag 32EE:?8 2G6C286 E@ 8@ H:E9 `g #qxD[ 7:G6 5@F3=6D[ 7:G6 EC:A=6D 2?5 E9C66 9@>6 CF?D]k^Am kAmp?5 H96? q649E@= 86ED @? 32D6[ D96 2 >6?246[ 92G:?8 DH:A65 `e 32D6D E9:D D62D@?]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm“$96’D 366? 2 DA64:2= A=2J6C D:?46 D96’D 366? 96C6 2E w:4<@CJ #:586[” s2G:6D D2:5 @7 E96 d\7@@E\c q649E@=] “{2DE J62C[ D96 <:==65 :E] $96 D9@F=5 92G6 H@? A=2J6C @7 E96 J62C =2DE J62C[ 2?5 D96’D E96 36DE E9:D J62C] ~776?D:G6=J[ 5676?D:G6=J[ D96’D ;FDE <:==:?8 :E]”k^Am Tori Kirkpatrick shows her power at the plate. Todd Maulden/Special to the Independent Tribune kAms6H 2?5 q649E@= 46CE2:?=J 2C6?’E 2 EH@\>2? 82?8[ E9@F89]k^AmkAm%96C6’D ;F?:@C 42E496C %@C: z:C<A2EC:4<[ H9@ E@@< @G6C E96 A@D:E:@? =2DE J62C H96? zJ=:6 {2#@FD2 =67E 7@C pAA2=249:2? $E2E6 2?5 92D 366? 9@=5:?8 E9:?8D 5@H? 369:?5 E96 A=2E6[ 3F:=5:?8 2 A6C764E 4@??64E:@? H:E9 s6H] z:C<A2EC:4< 2=D@ 32ED 4=62? FA 2?5 3@2DED 2 ]bgg 2G6C286 H:E9 ab #qxD[ 7:G6 5@F3=6D[ E9C66 EC:A=6D 2?5 EH@ C@F?5\EC:AA6CD]k^Am kAm%96? E96C6’D D@A9@>@C6 A96?@> zC:DEJ? t>3=6C[ H9@ =2DE D62D@? H2D E96 7:CDE 7C6D9>2? E@ DE2CE @? E96 G2CD:EJ E62> @? ~A6?:?8 }:89E 7@C s2G:6D]k^Am Anna Dew (left) and Kristyn Embler (right) celebrate the win. Todd Maulden/Special to the Independent Tribune kAm“x’G6 925 7C6D9>6? 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WEH@X[ ;F?:@C r9=@6 (@@5H2C5 WEH@X 2?5 D6?:@C z2C46? qFC?6EE6 W@?6X]k^AmkAmw:4<@CJ #:586 925 @?=J @?6 =@DD 5FC:?8 E96 C68F=2C D62D@?[ 2?5 :E 42>6 E@ 5676?5:?8 bp DE2E6 492>A:@? (6DE $E2?=J[ H9:49 :D DEC@?8 282:? E9:D J62C H:E9 2 ab\` C64@C5]k^Am kAm{:<6 uC:52J ?:89E’D 56762E E@ |@@C6DG:==6[ E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? E96 E62>D H2D 2 D:?8=6 CF?[ H:E9 E96 qF==D 72==:?8[ `\_]k^Am kAm“xE H2D 2 8@@5 32EE=6[ 3FE H6 92G6 ?@ 6I4FD6Di (6DE $E2?=J ;FDE 362E FD[” s2G:6D D2:5 7=2E=J]k^AmkAmpD<65 :7 96 E9@F89E E96 =@DD 96=A65 9:D E62>[ s2G:6D D2:5[ “x H@F=5 9@A6 D@] x7 :E 5:5 2?JE9:?8[ :E ;FDE <:?5 @7 E@@< E92E AC6DDFC6 @7 8@:?8 F?56762E65 @77] w2G:?8 E92E =@DD[ H6 8@E :E @FE @7 @FC DJDE6>[ 2?5 H6 42? ;FDE <66A @? A=2J:?8[ @?6 82>6 2E 2 E:>6]”k^AmkAmw6 A@:?E65 @FE E92E E96 qF==D 92G6?’E ;FDE E@C? E9C@F89 E96:C 6?E:C6 D4965F=6]k^Am kAm“(6’G6 925 D@>6 E@F89 82>6D[” s2G:6D D2:5] “w@F89 925 FD 362E[ H6 42>6 324< :? E96 =2DE :??:?8 W2?5 H@?[ g\fX] !:65>@?E 32EE=65 FD _\_ 8@:?8 :?E@ E96 6:89E9[ E96? r9=@6 (@@5H2C5 9:E 2 E9C66\CF? 9@>6C E@ H:? :E]”k^Am Hickory Ridge head softball coach Justin Davies, far right, said his No. 1-ranked team has shown the mental toughness to bounce back this season. HICKORY RIDGE ATHLETICS PHOTO kAm%92E C6D:=:6?46 A2:5 @77 =2DE >@?E9[ H96? w:4<@CJ #:586 72465 ?2E:@?2==J C2?<65 $@FE9H6DE6C? #2?5@=A9[ H9:49 96=5 E96 DE2E6’D }@] ` C2?<:?8 2E E96 E:>6] w:4<@CJ #:586 H2D 7:7E9]k^AmkAmx? pD963@C@[ E96 qF==D D9FE @FE E96 r@F82CD[ b\_]k^Am kAm%92E ?:89E[ qFC?6EE6 H2D D:KK=:?8[ 244@F?E:?8 7@C 2== E9C66 CF?D[ :?4=F5:?8 D>24<:?8 2 EH@\#qx D:?8=6 :? E96 D6G6?E9 E@ AC@G:56 E96 7:?2= >2C8:?]k^Am kAms6H H2D C62==J @? 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