Hot Stove Softball: Amherst's Hailey Fury caps off Legendary year

WELLINGTON — Hailey Fury buckled down and dug deep to lead her Amherst Legends to the Class A girls state Hot Stove championship this season. The Legends pitcher went 6-0 during the summer and she was able to showcase her talents one final time Wednesday at the Lorain County Hot Stove Class A All-Star Game at Wellington's Community Park. Success didn't just find Fury this season. It's been her commitment to excellence and her ability to lead her team to a 16-1 record that that was capped with a 3-2 win over Firelands (14-4) on July 21 at Spencer in the Class A state final. Fury aided her own cause in the championship game with a two-run home run in the fifth inning. Fury's all-star team won Wednesday night by a score of 10-5. She pitched the first inning and recorded two strikeouts while yielding an unearned run. Fury went 1-for-2 at the plate with a hit and a walk. She re-entered the game as a pitcher in the sixth inning and recorded two strikeouts and a pop-up out. It's been four years since Fury first took up the sport. "It means a lot to win the championship," said Fury, an 11-year-old fifth grader in Amherst. "We went through a lot and tried our hardest and we tried our best." The Legends' lone loss this season came at the hands of the rival Amherst Comets. "We learned from that (loss to the Comets)," Fury said. "We just tried our hardest and pushed through. It was so exciting (to win the championship). I kept watching the (game film) back over and over again." Fury's example and dedication has impressed Legends coach Rylee McClintock. "Her dedication, every day putting in work at home and at practice," McClintock said. "I believe that came about by her learning her potential and learning the strides to get there, which was putting in all that work. Pitching lessons have played a big part of it. She sees a pitching coach so she's going to lessons and is dedicated to that and just getting work in at practice. "This is Hailey's second year working with a pitching coach, but I think just seeing them more and knowing what to work on and making that step to branching off to different pitches." Fury said that working with a pitching coach has helped with development. "It's helped out a lot," she said. "We practice on a lot of new things that I've never done before. My performance at the plate has improved, too. I practice with a hitting coach, too." "She puts in a lot of work outside of regular practices through private coaching," said Tim Fury, Hailey's dad. "We also practice at least once a day at home. She puts in a ton of work. Her team are all very close, very good friends. Whenever she's with her friends they are always talking softball. I think that's what's helped her the most, is the team that's she is with. That group of girls, they are all very close." Firelands' Corrine Vlock and Wellington's Emma Pickworth also enjoyed the all-star festivities on the other side of the diamond for the Lorain County Class A all-stars. "It's been really great because Firelands Hot Stove has not been that far up in state in a very long time," said Vlock, a sixth-grader who pitches plus sees action at first base and third base. "I feel like I've gotten a lot better than last year. I've gotten faster with my pitching and quicker with my baserunning." "It's been a good season this summer," said Pickworth, a Wellington fifth grader who plays catcher and second base. "We've been putting in a lot of effort, putting in a lot of time and putting all the bad things past us. Putting in time practicing at home has helped to make me a better player." "Each of these girls brought to their own teams a leadership quality. That's why they're here," Firelands coach Kari Cooley said. "They were all nominated by opposing coaches. What they did each game was enough for other teams to recognize them and to put them in this opportunity to represent their squad." Contact Paul Heyse at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.