Sports
Burgess an Intimidating Player on Offense and Defense
Alex Burgess and the Lions softball team finished with a 19-1 record. With one of the best batting averages in the conference, the junior is a strong player in center field as well.
Junior Alex Burgess is a well-rounded softball player who has lead her team to one of the program's best-ever records.
Burgess is a skilled outfielder and she has the second highest batting average in the Merrimack Valley Conference. Burgess, who plays softball year round, helped lead her team to one of the program’s best ever records. In the team’s game this past week, Burgess caught five outs.
“She played terrific, she made a couple of great catches,” said Coach Bruce Rich. All season long, she’s been getting it done for us on center field.”
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Burgess’s main focus is her hitting. She boasts an impressive batting average, and is ranked second in the conference.
“She’s been explosive at the plate all year long. She batted over 500 for us,” said Rich.
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This season, the junior has hit four home runs, and improved on her hitting tremendously since last year. Burgess said that learning to relax at the plate was the key to her improvement.
“I’ve been hitting really well this season, better than all the other seasons. Last year I was really nervous, I started off the season really well, but I started to hit worse. This year I didn’t let the pressure get to me, and I’ve been more consistent in my hitting," said Burgess.
The right handed batter plans to work this summer to improve on batting lefty. Although she was able to bat both ways during game play this season, Burgess said that she wants to improve her skills for senior year.
“I want to be better at hitting lefty. I want to try regular hitting lefty (opposed to bunting). When I get up to bat, and if I go on the left side, and the corners are all the way in, I can hit it by them, but if they are far back, I can just put a bunt down," she said.
If Burgess can master the ambidextrous batting, she will be a force to reckon with on the plate. This summer, the junior will train with her teammates for the softball season next spring.
As most of the Lions softball team will be returning next year, Rich, as well as the rest of the players, have high hopes for next year. If all goes well, Burgess will be an intimidating influence on the team, offensively and defensively.
"She’s a free spirit out there and that’s what we like to see. She keeps everybody loose,” said Rich.
