by Jamie Harris
The wins haven’t come yet for the Berkeley Springs Lady Indians varsity softball team, but something else is beginning to surface, belief built on power, fight and a young core that refuses to fold.
After another demanding week that included three home losses and one dramatic road battle, Berkeley Springs dropped to 0–8 on the season, yet the record hardly tells the full story of a team discovering its offensive identity while learning hard lessons in the pitching circle.
At the center of that emergence are junior Bailee Diehl and junior Scotlyn Forney, each blasting their first career home runs in a Lady Indians uniform, and the rapid growth of sophomores Bella Albanese and Molly Boyles, whose production at the plate is quickly becoming nightly expectation rather than surprise.
The results haven’t tilted in Berkeley Springs’ favor yet, but the ingredients for competitiveness are now clearly present.
Monday, March 30
Frankfort 16, Berkeley Springs 2
Berkeley Springs opened the week against a measuring stick, WV Class AA state contender Frankfort and the Falcons wasted little time proving why they are among the state’s elite. Frankfort stormed to a 16–2 victory, overwhelming the Lady Indians with disciplined at-bats and relentless pressure.
Yet even in defeat, Berkeley Springs delivered a moment that resonated beyond the scoreboard.
With Scotlyn Forney aboard after drawing a walk, Bailee Diehl unloaded on a pitch and sent it sailing, a two-run home run that marked the first of her career and offered a glimpse of the offensive ceiling this lineup possesses.
Molly Boyles added the Lady Indians’ only other hit with a single, continuing her steady rise at the dish.
Wednesday, April 1
Moorefield 11, Berkeley Springs 0
Two days later, Berkeley Springs hosted Moorefield, a team that executed cleanly on both sides of the ball. The Lady Indians struggled to string together offense as the Yellow Jackets earned an 11–0 win.
Still, individual flashes continued to shine.
Bella Albanese led Berkeley Springs with a double and a walk, showing discipline and gap power, while Scotlyn Forney doubled and Payton Mizell chipped in a single.
The consistency wasn’t there yet, but the potential remained visible.
Thursday, April 2
Martinsburg 24, Berkeley Springs 18
Then came the game that redefined the Lady Indians’ season, even in defeat.
In a contest that looked more like a football final than a softball score, Berkeley Springs and Martinsburg combined for 42 runs, trading momentum swings that left both dugouts riding emotional highs and lows.
Berkeley Springs jumped out to a 3–0 lead in the top of the first inning before Martinsburg responded with 10 runs to grab a 10–3 advantage. Four more Bulldogs runs in the second extended the lead to 14–3.
But Berkeley Springs didn’t retreat.
The Lady Indians scored two runs in the third, held Martinsburg scoreless, then exploded for six runs in the fourth to claw all the way back to 14–11. After exchanging blows again in the fifth, Berkeley Springs found itself trailing 17–13 entering the sixth.
That’s when belief turned into action.
Berkeley Springs ripped off five runs in the top of the sixth, stunning the home crowd and claiming an 18–17 lead, their first lead since the opening inning.
Momentum, however, is fragile when pitching depth is thin.
Martinsburg answered immediately with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth, reclaiming control at 24–18 and extinguishing any chance of a season-changing upset. The Lady Indians couldn’t assemble a final rally in the seventh and fell in their most heartbreaking loss yet.
Offensively, it was a statement game: Scotlyn Forney: Home run, 3 singles, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Molly Boyles: Triple, double, 2 singles, 3 runs, 3 RBIs; Kaya Delauter: 2 singles, double, run, 3 RBIs; Maddie Close: 3 singles, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Kamryn Buck: 2 singles, 4 runs, 2 RBIs; Bella Albanese: Single, double, run, RBI; Payton Mizell: Single, double, 2 runs; Hailey Adkins: Single, run, RBI; Kaylin Sharman: Run and Avery Dhayer: Run.
Ten players contributed, proof that this lineup can score with anyone.
Saturday, April 4
Petersburg 22, Berkeley Springs 2
The week closed against another powerhouse as 2025 WV State Runner-Up Petersburg rolled into Berkeley Springs and lived up to its reputation, cruising to a 22–2 win.
The lone bright spot came in the bottom of the second inning. Trailing 7–0, Bailee Diehl singled and Bella Albanese doubled before Scotlyn Forney ripped a two-run double, accounting for both Lady Indians runs.
Once again, the bats showed life, even against elite competition.
Eight games in, the Lady Indians’ biggest challenge remains the pitching circle. Youth, inexperience and growing pains have allowed games to spiral once momentum shifts. But as those young arms gain confidence and comfort in their roles, the ceiling for this team rises quickly.
Because the offense is no longer hypothetical.
With Diehl and Forney supplying power, Boyles and Albanese delivering consistency, and production running deep throughout the lineup, Berkeley Springs has the firepower to compete and eventually win.
The fight is unmistakable. The belief is growing. The scoreboard just hasn’t caught up yet.
Spring break sends the Lady Indians (0–8) on the road with two opportunities to turn hard lessons into results: April 7 at Hedgesville, 7 p.m. and April 8 at Hancock, 4:45 p.m.
The losses hurt, but the foundation is forming. And when the pitching settles, the Lady Indians may finally reward their relentless offense with the breakthrough it deserves.
