Former Linsly standout latches on with Rockford

By MIKE HUGHES
Noelle Adams likely thought her softball playing days were finished when the former Linsly Cadet picked up her bachelor’s degree from Marshall University in December.

Sure she could play in the Sunday leagues around Wheeling, but those are far from the highly competitive play found in Division I softball.

Thankfully, that’s a concession Adams didn’t have to make.

She received a call from her former teammates, twins Jessica and Amanda Williams, about the possibility of joining them in Rockford, Illinois.

The Williams sisters were drafted by Chicago of the women’s National Pro Fastpitch softball league at the start of the 2006 season and subsequently traded to the Thunder to start the 2007 season.

Originally based in Texas, the Thunder moved to Rockford for the 2007 season, the same city that housed the Rockford Peaches, one of the original members of the All-American Girls Pro Baseball League.

Yes, those are the same Peaches from the hit 1992 movie ‘‘A League of Their Own’’ starring Tom Hanks and Gina Davis.

Women’s pro ball had returned to Rockford and with it came a call for an open tryout May 5.

‘‘I found out about the Thunder through Jessica and Amanda,’’ Adams said. ‘‘They told me about the tryout, and the information for it was posted on the Thunder’s website.’’

The Thunder coaching staff was looking for one good player and believed to have found that player in Jamie Davison, a utility infielder fresh out of the University of Evansville.

But the staff also couldn’t quite get over the eye-popping speed of one young lady from West Virginia.

Simply stated, Adams can flat out fly and no one out at the tryout could match her speed along the basepaths. No one on the team moved quite that fast for that matter.

So while setting out to take on the best of the best at the tryout, the Thunder opted to take the top two players, electing to take a chance on the fleet-footed Adams.

Thus far, it’s paid off.

A lefty slap-hitter, Adams is most dangerous once her feet touch first base.

As a junior, Adams stole a team-best 22 bases for the Thundering Herd in only 37 games. She collected another 12 as a senior and finished with 49 for her career.

‘‘My speed is mainly what got me noticed at the tryout, but I know I have more to offer the team,’’ Adams explained. ‘‘I have been playing (softball) since I’ve been 5 and I know I’ll be ready when I get the opportunity.

‘‘Baserunning is my favorite part of the game and it’s something I’m good at, but I am definitely looking to contribute more than just steals to the team.’’

Adams has seen limited action during her rookie season with the Thunder, going 0-for-2 in two plate appearances.

But she has managed to collect five steals, tied for second on the team and has scored four runs.

‘‘I am working on improving my offensive game to work my way into the lineup,’’ Adams said. ‘‘And I know that I am very strong defensively in the outfield.’’

The problem for Adams is the Thunder is loaded at the outfield positions, led by centerfielder and former league MVP Kristen Zaleski.

Erin Evans mans right and Adams former teammate, Amanda Williams, patrols the grass in left.

Adams credits both Amanda and Jessica Williams for making her feel comfortable during the early going, especially surrounded by some of the bigger names in softball today.

‘‘At first I was a little nervous to play on the same team as Cat Osterman and Amanda Freed,’’ Adams admitted. ‘‘But it didn’t take long to feel comfortable around them and simply see them as teammates.

‘‘They are famous in the athletic world, but they are normal, everyday people.

‘‘But they have done a lot for this sport and It’s an honor to have gotten a chance to know them and I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity.’’

Osterman helped lead the United States to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens after starting for the University of Texas. Freed, out of UCLA, was also a key cog in the 2004 gold-medal team.

If you know softball, then those two names should pop right out, but they are just two of a number of high-caliber players in the league.

It’s a definite jump from D-I, but Adams feels she’s continually making strides at adjusting.

‘‘Pro fastpitch is definitely a whole new level compared to college ball,’’ Adams said. ‘‘But it doesn’t take long to adjust.

‘‘The competition is better, but in turn, it forces you to get better.

‘‘I have made big improvements in all aspects of my game since I’ve been here and I believe I will continue to do so.’’