One of the reasons for Honesdale’s run to the PIAA Class 4A softball semifinals is freshman pitcher Marissa Gregory.
In the first round against Eastern York, she tossed a one-hit shutout with four walks and two strikeouts in a 3-0 win. Then in the quarterfinals against Nazareth Academy, she scattered seven hits and struck out three in a 5-2 victory that advanced the Lady Hornets to Monday’s semifinals against West Perry.
Here is more from Gregory’s interview:
Age: 15
Other sports I play: I used to play basketball, but right now I only do softball.
Favorite teams: Florida Gators
Athletes I admire: University of Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill. She’s a really good pitcher. I watch her on TV all the time. What she does is amazing. It inspires me to do my best.
Favorite food: Crab legs
Superstitions and rituals: I do my hair the same way. I braid the sides and I braid my ponytail.
Three people I’d like to have dinner with: Jenny Finch, Amanda Lorenz, Kelly Barnhill
What inning did you allow the hit in the Eastern York game? The sixth inning.
Were you aware you had a no-hitter? No. I was just pitching the ball, pitching where I had to pitch so they couldn’t hit.
Against Nazareth Academy, you had a single in the first inning. Did that help you at all with your pitching? In my eyes, if you have a hit, you’re going to pitch good. You’ll be confident because you hit the ball. Hitting is one of my weaknesses, I know I have to work on it. So if I hit the ball, I feel really good about the game.
Was there a moment or a turning point that has sparked this postseason run? When we beat Tunkhannock (in the District 2 semifinals) because we had never beaten Tunkhannock before. When that happened, we knew we could beat anyone.
Do you know anything about your semifinal opponent, West Perry? I don’t know anything about them and I kind of like not knowing anything about them. That means we’ll go in extra hard. Going into a game you don’t know anything about, you have it in your head that you don’t know what to expect.
How long have you been pitching? Since I was like 6.
What is it about pitching that you enjoy? Honestly, it’s because I get the ball every single play. Every pitch, I get the ball back. I like to be playing.
How many pitches do you throw? Five: fastball, changeup, screw, curve and rise. I have a dropball, but I haven’t mastered it yet.
Which one do you rely on as your go-to pitch in a big situation? Definitely would say my curveball and my riseball.
Post-graduation plans: My goal is to go D-I to the University of Florida and play for the Florida Gators. Hopefully when I grow up I want to be a vet tech. My dog had three litters of puppies and used to play doctor with them all the time. It clicked with me.
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During more than 30 years at The Times-Tribune, Scott has covered everything from high schools to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. His current beats include motor sports, local colleges, high school cross country and high school baseball. He also is a copy editor and page designer. His articles have won awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors, American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, Eastern Motorsports Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists Keystone Pro Chapter and the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Keystone Press. He also has been honored by the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League and the Minor League Football Alliance. In 2016, he was presented the Media Service Award by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. A Long Island, New York, native, Scott graduated from the University of Scranton in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He lives in Peckville with his wife, Andrea, and daughters, Bridget and Emily. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x5109; or @swalshTT on Twitter
