West Hill Gazette
Team Huddle
As the 2024–25 high school softball season reaches its midpoint, the Moon Area Tigers Varsity Softball team finds itself in a fierce fight to climb the standings. Currently sitting at a 4-4 overall record and 1-2 in conference play, the Tigers are ranked 5th in their division. Despite the even split, the team has shown flashes of dominance, plenty of resilience, and a clear drive to improve as the second half of the season approaches.
Offensively, the Tigers have pieced together solid performances, posting a team batting average of .234 across 239 plate appearances. With 46 total hits and 31 runs batted in, the team is finding ways to manufacture runs. Power has come in bursts, with eight doubles, two triples, and three home runs so far this season. The bats exploded on March 16 in a statement 17-0 win over Brearley (NY), a game that saw the Tigers hitting .500 as a team and racking up 14 RBIs. Another offensive highlight came just two days earlier in their 8-7 nail-biter over FPCHS, where timely extra-base hits helped them secure the win. Across the board, the Tigers have put up a .357 on-base percentage and a .340 slugging percentage, combining for a .697 OPS. While the strikeout count remains high at 57, the team has also drawn 28 walks and been hit by a pitch 10 times—showing patience at the plate and a willingness to get on base by any means.
On the basepaths, the Tigers have been opportunistic but cautious. In eight games, they’ve attempted six steals, successfully swiping four bags. Their best baserunning performances came early in the season, with a clean steal in the win over Shenango and a two-steal day against Plum. Though not overly aggressive, Moon has been efficient when they’ve chosen to run.
Defensively, Moon Area is still tightening things up. The team holds a .895 fielding percentage with 162 total chances. While the Tigers have logged 131 putouts and 14 assists, they’ve also committed 17 errors. Most of those miscues came in tough losses, particularly against Blackhawk and CVHS, but there have been bright spots too—like their clean, error-free game in the rout over Brearley. The defense is yet to turn a double play this season, but they’ve held opponents in check in key moments, which bodes well as the team looks to lock in tighter fundamentals moving forward.
From the circle, Moon’s pitching staff has seen a rollercoaster of performances, from a dominant shutout to a few tough outings. The team’s collective ERA stands at 4.77 through 44 innings, with 30 earned runs allowed on 53 hits. They’ve struck out 39 batters while walking 17, and while control has occasionally been an issue, they’ve also delivered in clutch situations. Perhaps the biggest pitching highlight came on March 16, when the Tigers tossed a combined no-hitter and perfect game against Brearley. A week later, they followed it up with a gritty win over Montour, where the staff held their opponent to just two runs on five hits and racked up seven strikeouts. In total, the staff has given up four home runs but held opposing batters to a .269 average and a .333 on-base percentage.
With half the season left to play, the Moon Area Tigers are poised for a competitive push. The tools are all there—power at the plate, flashes of speed on the bases, steady pitching, and the drive to clean up mistakes in the field. If they can harness their strengths and limit errors, this team could be a force down the stretch in conference play.