Loyalsock softball coach Tom O'Malley conducts infield drills with his Lady Lancers. O'Malley a Montoursville native and former major league and Japanese league baseball player is in his first year as the sock head coach.
"It's been a lot of fun so far. They've played hard. They've had great attitudes. And you know they're doing the little things and we worked on fundamentals," said Tom O'Malley.
Loyalsock is coming off their biggest win of the year (5-2) over state runner-up Warrior Run.
"It felt good. It started when I woke up. I was like it's game-day, and all of us have been pumped all day. Once it hit three o'clock running out of school it's game-day," said Allie Pagana-Loyalsock Junior shortstop.
Coach Tom O'Malley is enjoying his time here with the Lady Lancers and their getting to know a little bit about his background in professional baseball and on the other hand some of the girl's on the team are teaching Coach O'Malley some of the nuisances of playing high-school softball like the speed of the game.
"The game's a little faster. The bases are a little shorter, and you know you have to be aggressive. You have to be on your toes and you got to be ready for anything. And base running plays a big part. This game here as it does in baseball you have a little further to go that's it," again said Tom.
"Yes definitely he is a great coach and a great person in general. He works with all of us and he is a great hitter. So that helps us. He helps us with our swings. He breaks it down. He knows the game really well," said Amanda Daneker-Loyalsock Senior catcher.
O'Malley started in the big leagues in 1982 with the San Francisco Giants and finished with the Mets in 1990. He batted .256 with 13 home runs over that span. Later in his pro career O'Malley was a .300 hitter for 6 seasons in the Japanese league.
"Guys are throwing a lot harder than they did when I was playing. Guy's are throwing 95 every guy coming out of the bullpen. So it's tougher now. They are bigger-stronger. Maybe we got out at the right time that's it," added Tom.
The Lady Lancers compete in the toughest district in the state-district 4 AA, but with Tom O'Malley at the controls their heading in the right direction.