How Morgan Sacharczyk's high energy has benefitted Riverdale's surging softball team
MURFREESBORO − Riverdale senior Morgan Sacharczyk transferred several attributes from the wrestling mat to the softball field.
Her high energy wasn't one of them.
"The energy with wrestling and softball are two completely different things," Sarcharczyk said. "I had to be kind of calm with wrestling. But out here (softball) everybody has my back. It is (a release). I get to be less serious out here and have fun, and it shows."
Sacharczyk is winding down her senior season in style. After reaching the TSSAA state wrestling tournament for the fourth consecutive season in February, she finished third overall in the 120-pound weight class.
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Sacharczyk has now helped the softball team advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2013.
The Lady Warriors (18-23) defeated Warren County 10-5 in Friday's Class 4A sectional. Riverdale will face Green Hill (41-2) in Tuesday's opener at 5:30 p.m. at McKnight Park.
"I said we would peak at the end of the season," said Sacharczyk, the starting shortstop. "I knew exactly what we would do. I will take the losses at the beginning of the season and have fun at the end."
Sacharczyk is one who has peaked the most late in the season. During Riverdale's postseason run she's hitting .446. She was 3-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs against Warren County. She also thwarted a rally with a double play in the fifth inning.
But it's the intangible things she brings to the team that are invaluable.
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While Sacharczyk doesn't want to admit she's the most high-energy player for the Lady Warriors, it's tough to dispute. She is definitely one of the sparks that make the Riverdale engine go, and her teammates feed off of it.
"She is the catalyst," Riverdale coach Christy Bingham said. "She drives her team in energy. She's always up, always excited. She's always ready to come around and get everybody going."
Sacharczyk will savor her last softball games, whether it's a two-and-done or the Lady Warriors make a run for a state title. After that, she will join one of the nation's top women's wrestling programs at Marietta, Georgia's Life University.
"Deep down, I always knew it was going to be wrestling," said Sacharczyk, who was a four-time all-area wrestler (including girls wrestler of the year in 2020) and medaled three times in four years at state.
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"She loves both of those sports," Bingham said. "I think it's just strength (that carries over to softball). And when you compete as an individual, I know that's hard, and you can bring that into a team environment. That, and the will to compete."
Sacharczyk said the Lady Warrior coaching staff has been a big reason for the softball team's postseason run.
"It'll come," said Sacharczyk, when asked what it will take for Riverdale to be successful at Spring Fling. "I don't know what it will take, but it'll come. I have faith in this team."
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: TSSAA softball: Riverdale, Morgan Sacharczyk peaking at the right time
