Pine River all-conference standout focusing on next season

LEROY — Carleigh Trowbridge enjoyed an all-Highland Conference softball season last spring for Pine River. But she’s using the summer months to try to improve her game by a few notches.

Trowbridge is playing for the Pine River summer team in the Local Area Teams League. She’ll be a junior next season.

As a sophomore, “I learned a lot,” Trowbridge said. “I think as a team, we got a lot better and I was already close with a lot of the girls. It worked out a lot better.”

She’s played right field and first base, and pointed to the outfield as her best position. She figures on moving to the infield next season.

A major focus this summer for Trowbridge has been her hitting.

“I think I did pretty well (last spring),” she said, adding that she’s working on hitting more line shots.

Pine River was 15-20 last season and lost 5-3 in the district final. Trowbridge batted .429 with 45 hits, 35 RBIs, six doubles, five triples and one home run, and scored 41 runs.

It was a young team and many players are returning next season.

“We’ll do quite a bit better,” Trowbridge said. “A lot of the girls will be closer. But we had a pretty good team.”

The LAT League will close the summer season on July 22.

“It’s pretty important (to play summer ball), but I just like to play,” Trowbridge said.