Staff Report
Most times, the stats don’t tell the whole story of an athlete’s value to his or her team. In the case of Absegami senior catcher and infielder Alyssa Bailey — well, the numbers don’t lie.
She’s already one of the most accomplished players in school history, and her career isn’t even over yet. She’s hitting a robust .553 this season, and she’s only gone hitless in three of the Braves’ 16 games, and in eight games she’s had multiple hits.
Bailey pretty much does it all at the plate, and behind it. As a hitter, she’s a career .550 hitter with 144 hits, 120 runs scored, 121 RBIs — and the list goes on, and on, and on. She’s hit 43 doubles in her career, 12 triples, 15 home runs, and has 35 walks and 32 stolen bases.
She’s been just as valuable as a catcher, mentoring players like junior Audrey Phillips and sophomore Meghan Johansen. Phillips has a 2.60 ERA this season with 38 strikeouts in 35 innings, and Johansen has been outstanding, pitching to a 3.00 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 56 innings of work. As a team, the Braves have a 3.00 ERA with 103 strikeouts in 98 innings.
This season, Bailey leads the team in hits, RBIs, runs scored, doubles, walks, batting average and slugging percentage. It’s no wonder she and the Braves have a 12-4 record and are the top team in the Cape-Atlantic League National Conference. Last season, Absegami went 15-7, and the team hasn’t lost a divisional game since Bailey was a sophomore.
— Staff Writer Dave O’Sullivan
