Hard-hitting Dewey freshman softball player named Examiner-Enterprise Athlete of Week
Home run hitters in fastpitch softball are relatively rare.
Freshman sluggers are an even more coveted commodity.
That’s why Dewey High School softball skipper Niki Keck feels especially happy to have Londyn Bond on her side.
Earlier this week, Bond — this week’s E-E Athlete of the Week — slammed a two-run walk-off dinger to complete a seventh-inning Lady Dogger rally in a 6-5 win against Wagoner.
That was Bond’s sixth circuit clout of the season — and there’s a few games remaining to give her a chance to add to that total.
She’s also batting at a meteoric clip (.392), helping propel Dewey to a 20-win season and another good shot at returning to state for the fourth time in five seasons.
Bond, who plays at third base, was no surprise for Keck.
The grand-daughter of former popular Dewey head boys basketball coach Mark Smith, Bond has grown up in the Dewey schools’ softball system.
“We’ve definitely been looking forward to having her in the high school program,” Keck said. “She’s developed into a very strong ballplayer. … She’s definitely has a very athletic body. She reminds me of a taller version of Kaleena Downing.”
“It’s going really well,” Bond said about her first year of prep ball. “I like all the girls I’m playing with. Coach Keck is such a great coach. She’s taught me a lot … to have fun playing the game I love.”
Bond displayed a power-hitting propensity since her girlhood days.
Her stump-splitting swing is contributing to Dewey’s bounce-back campaign.
“It’s really fun,” Bond said about being part of this year’s team. “It’s especially fun to be part of it as a freshman.”
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Dewey freshman Londyn Bond named E-E Athlete of Week
