Haley Freyman, Richland softball
What she did: Freyman pitched a two-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Justin Northwest, then threw a four-hitter in a 3-1 victory against state-ranked Keller in the regular-season finale to give Richland the outright District 4-5A title. Richland, tied with Keller for 30th in the state rankings, will open the playoffs against Arlington Bowie.
Who is she? A senior pitcher who has signed with Tarleton State. She was an all-state selection last season, when she led Richland to the 4-5A title and the regional quarterfinals.
The stats: Freyman is 21-5 with a 1.11 ERA and nine shutouts. She also has a .412 batting average.
She said it: "I love playing against good competition. Those are the best games. If I get in a [tough] situation, I've become more calm, that we can get out of it. I don't get nervous. I know I have a good team behind me."
Coach said it: "She's very humble. She's the hardest worker on the softball field, and even on her own she takes private lessons. She's a great leader, but she's more of a lead-by-example type of person. She does so well with her own personal things that people kind of just follow her lead." — Brenda Jacobson
Did you know? Freyman plans to major in education and wants to be an elementary school teacher. Last year, she worked with elementary students through the Ready, Set, Teach! program.
Honorable mention
