Afton Holmes was trying to stay humble about a play she made at first base in the bottom of the third inning of Ballard softball’s game against Newton on June 18.
Newton’s Grace Shannon was up to bat and ripped a hard grounder down the first base line. The ball went right at Holmes, but just as she came up on it, it took a high hop.
Holmes stuck her glove out, took a stab at the ball, and made a sensational catch right as the ball was ascending. She snared the ball and touched first for the second out of the inning, and that play helped Ballard keep Newton off the board in the frame.
“There’s really not much to say about it,” Holmes said. “It was just hoping to get a glove on in it, and it just happened to be perfect, right into my glove.”
Holmes had been drilled to make those types of plays at practice. Shannon’s hit still caught her a little off guard, but she had flawless execution when the time came to make a play.
“Every day we do a lot of fundamental work — forehand, backhand and everything,” said Ballard coach Ashley Frantz. “I hit at them hard. If a 38-year-old can hit it hard at you, what’s an 18-year-old going to do? That play, she was kind of surprised, but I was like, ‘Why are you surprised? You’re good enough to make those plays.'”
Holmes, a sophomore, is still settling into her comfort zone.
She began the year batting ninth in the lineup because Frantz wanted a power hitter at the bottom of the order. She was doing a solid job, but the occasional strikeout, plus a rare error in the field, had her re-thinking her spot in the order.
So, Frantz made a move.
“I bumped her up to the seventh spot,” Frantz said. “That’s kind of been her meat and potatoes is that seven spot.”
Holmes has responded positively to the move.
She had a single against Newton, a game where the Bombers fell by an 8-2 score. Through Ballard’s first 12 games, she was hitting .324 with three doubles, three runs and three RBIs.
“This season has been a little bit up and down for me,” Holmes said. “I’m hoping to have some better hits.”
In the field, Holmes does more than the occasional phenomenal scoop like she had against Newton. She is reliable, night in and night out.
Holmes had a 96.2% fielding percentage through Ballard’s first 12 games. She only had two errors in 53 chances.
Ballard all-state catcher Madeline Schonhorst loves having Holmes as a target to throw to during pick-off attempts.
“She’s always doing her job,” Schonhorst said. “Ready for a pick-off, ready for a ground ball — ready for anything.”
Holmes began playing softball when she was little. But she did not fall in love with the sport until around eighth grade.
“I really love being part of the team,” Holmes said. “I like being able to motivate others to play to the best of their potential.”
Ballard has an active dugout that likes to cheer. Holmes does not start the cheers, but she loves to participate in them.
But it’s in practice where she really stands out as a teammate.
“She’s the first one to practice and the first one to help a younger kid out,” Frantz said. “She’s coachable. You want 18 Afton Holmeses on your team.”
Holmes is all about encouraging her teammates.
“I really just like to make it fun,” Holmes said. “Even when you do make errors, you have to remember that your team is also depending on you. So, it’s important to uplift other people on your team.”
As Holmes builds confidence, she hopes to become a reliable presence every night.
“Consistency on and off the field,” Holmes said. “Maybe have a little bit better batting average.”
Schonhorst feels Holmes has the right attitude to go far in her softball career.
“When she gets down on herself, she’s always there the next game, and she doesn’t let that affect her — she’s ready for the next at-bat, the next game,” Schonhorst said. “I think she has great potential.”
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Meet Afton Holmes, Ballard softball’s quiet leader at first base
Reporting by Joe Randleman, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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By Joe Randleman, Ames Tribune | USA TODAY Network
