Hershey High freshman, Danielle Blaze, is a top five lineup hitter and 3rd baseman for Hershey Girls Softball. Blaze also plays for the 14u 08 Keystone State Bombers travel team, which is located in Lancaster County. 

She has been playing softball for 8 years and started at the age of 6. She started playing softball because her parents encouraged her to try something new. 

Blaze is a multi-sport athlete, and currently plays for the Hershey softball team. In the fall, Blaze played volleyball, ran cross country, and did taekwondo. 

Blaze had an injury in her right hand which unfortunately took her out for a year. Blaze thought she would have a speedy recovery. “I was under the impression that I would be back for my summer season in no time.”

After Blaze’s first set of pins she would only be out for about 6 weeks, but then the days of recovery just kept increasing, and soon enough she was out for 8 weeks and it was no more summer ball.

When the 8 weeks were up, Blaze was able to get her pins out, but found out that there were bones that didn’t heal correctly. After finding out that news, she would have to go through another reconstructive surgery if she wanted control over her hand. 

When her recovery time was over she had to go through some physical therapy for about a month after her first surgery. Blaze had to learn how to hold a ball again. After getting more playing time Balze found herself comparing her progress to everyone else’s. “Just waiting and waiting was really hard. After coming back I was so far behind, it just felt like everyone was getting better and I wasn’t.”

However Blaze wasn’t done with surgeries, she had to go through a second surgery for her unhealed bones in her finger. Meaning no more playing for 2 months. 

Before the High school season started, she was cleared a week before tryouts, meaning Blaze was going on with being out for almost a year. She was terrified of the outcome of tryouts. 

“Coming back this season is frustrating, I played a few games in the summer which didn’t help me at all,” said Blaze.  

Some of her goals for this season are to get a good record and a higher fielding percentage. 

Starting as a freshman can be nerve racking and Blaze couldn’t agree more. “Most of the time I am the only freshman on the field,” said Blaze “and being young isn’t really an excuse.”