The Fillies have been led by a freshman pitcher all season long and just because Sierra Snavely was unable to pitch on Thursday didn’t mean that had to change.
“Sierra is one of our best players,” Iola coach Chris Weide said. “We talk about the Fillies being a team and we had confidence.”
With Snavely battling sickness, Weide had a choice in front of him. He could go with one of the veterans on the team, like junior shortstop Sydney Wade — Wade was a top pitcher for the Fillies last season — or he could elevate junior varsity pitcher Mia Aronson to the varsity roster and let her take the ball for the start in a doubleheader against Neodesha.
“I knew (Wednesday) after school that I was going to start,” Aronson said. “I was really excited, because everyone’s dream is to play on varsity, but I was really nervous, too.”
Understandably. But after the games got in gear, Aronson found her groove.
“I had (jitters) throughout the first inning, but then the team really made me feel comfortable,” Aronson said. “It took me a while to get confident, but in the end it ended up well.”
By using the freshman Aronson the Fillies were allowed to keep their defensive alignment.
“If Sydney would have pitched, we would have had to shuffle three or four positions and we would have been piecing a few things together,” Weide said.
The decision paid off as Aronson repeated forced ground balls to the left side of the infield where third baseman Chloe Gardner and Wade resided. Supported by her defense behind her, Aronson held the Neodesha offense to only five runs in each game.
“She did really good,” Iola catcher Ashlie Shields said. “I caught her the last two days in practice, but before that I had no past experience catching her, but it was really fun catching her. She is a cute little girl.”
In her 11 total innings pitched, Aronson held Neodesha to 15 hits. She allowed only one walk over the two games.
“We knew Mia would throw strikes,” Weide said. “If she does one thing, she throws consistent strikes.”
Weide hopes that Snavely will be ready for their next game on Tuesday against Wellsville.
“The plan is to have Sierra back Tuesday,” Weide said. “That is what I am counting on.”
As a precaution, the team will give Wade some practice time pitching, just in case she is needed.
WEIDE’S HOPS
A talking point after the game surrounded the athleticism of a key member of the Fillies’ team, but maybe not one that has the opportunity to display their athletic prowess as often.
