Warren junior Ally Badgley says her parents named her after Grateful Dead’s “Althea.”
Yet unlike the narrator in that song, Badgley said she’s not feeling lost behind the plate in her first season as Warren’s full-time catcher.
She noted that it “keeps me in every play of the game.”
“It’s been a fun year,” she said. “Last year it was pretty nice to get to focus on hitting a lot. … But I’m happy to help the team at catcher.”
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Warren coach Jenna Charbonneau said Badgley, who worked on catching in travel ball, has become a reliable two-way player for the Blue Devils (10-4). Badgley has thrown out two runners attempting to steal and has picked off three.
“She’s awesome back there,” Charbonneau said. “She works hard for the pitchers, blocking the ball and making them look good. She’s got a very aggressive arm. She knows how to handle pitchers and controls the pace of games.”
Junior pitcher Sydney Jackson said she has formed a solid bond with Badgley this season. Jackson, who went 14-2 record with 103 strikeouts last year, is one of the premier pitchers in Lake County.
“(Ally’s) very confident behind the plate,” Jackson said. “She does very well with framing my pitches and getting those balls that paint the corner and getting them as close to called strikes. She’s also very confident and calms me down. I’m excited to see how we do the rest of the year.”
Badgley has been productive with her bat from the fifth spot, too, joining Butler recruit Hailey Conger, Colorado School of Mines recruit Sophia Furniss and sophomore Hannah Conger in a dangerous lineup. Badgley is hitting .326 with two home runs and 15 RBIs and has a .488 slugging percentage.
“She’s been pretty solid,” Charbonneau said.
Badgley did have to adjust to the additional pressure that came with increased playing time. She said her background in golf helped.
“Softball is always go-go and super aggressive,” she said. “Golf helps me with catching — allows me to relax and slow down. I’ve learned both sides to find a happy medium to help me be successful.
“Sometimes I struggle with mechanics, so I calm myself down and try not to swing outside my shoes like in golf.”
Badgley, a member of the student council, also is handling new responsibilities on the team.
“I feel like catching has helped me grow into a leader, so it’s nice to take a position in student council and nice to take a step back and not be a leader there,” she said.
She built a strong competitive drive growing up with her twin brother, Charlie, who plays golf and baseball at Warren.
“We’re really close and have all the same friends,” she said. “I’ve grown up being competitive. We push each other in the classroom and on the field.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.