An initial conversation with Chesterton transfer Jaren Lynch gave first-year South Central softball coach John Hall a positive outlook for this season.
Lynch, who played shortstop on the Class 4A Trojans varsity for three years, met with Hall during a conditioning session in November.
"She said that she played shortstop, but she would play anywhere," Hall said. "That's a team player. I was really impressed with her maturity level."
Through 13 games for the Satellites (10-3), Lynch is hitting .465 with four doubles, three triples, 14 RBIs and 18 runs scored.
"I feel like this is the best year I've played so far," Lynch said. "I just feel so comfortable with the team and the whole environment."
Lynch moved with her mother Beth to Wanatah this school year, saying goodbye to three years of relationships with her former Trojans teammates.
"It was hard leaving some of the girls behind because I had a strong bond with them," Lynch said.
"I just didn't enjoy playing last year."
That's not the case now.
"This team has been so accepting," Lynch said.
But Lynch also accepted the fact that she couldn't come in demanding to play a specific position for the Satellites, who returned seven starters from a lineup that won a Class A Sectional crown last season.
"I understood that there were a lot of starters returning," Lynch said, "so I didn't come in thinking about playing a specific position."
Hall also didn't want to make waves with his new team, so he moved Lynch around in the lineup. In the first five games, Lynch played outfield, third base, second and catcher.
Then, Lynch was moved to shortstop, as veteran infielder Kayla Pritchard one spot to the right to third.
"It seemed like the both accepted the change," Hall said.
Lynch believes the key was the relationship she developed with her infield teammate.
"Kayla and I are best friends, but it was hard competing with her," Lynch said. "I worried a lot about her being mad at me -- but she wasn't."
Besides her defense, Hall doesn't have any worries about Lynch at the plate.
"Jaren hits to all part of the field," said Hall of Lynch, who was moved back a spot to No. 2 early in the season. "She's a great student of the game."
Lynch didn't think about college last year, but that position has also changed.
"I would like to play now; maybe I'll go to Purdue North Central or something," she said.
"It just makes me so happy that I'm doing so well my senior year."
Please Wait…
