High school softball: Zimmermans starting a softball dynasty
But it isn't just the school that makes victories in softball a tradition out in the Lehi area, the Zimmerman family has been winning on the diamond for years and plans to keep right on winning for many more.
Though their parents never played softball nor were they really much interested in it, the six Zimmerman sisters have made the sport their own — and their entire family's. It all began with Nicole, who started playing softball with a friend when the family lived in Kearns. And it snowballed from there.
When Nicole started pitching that also started a family tradition, as every one of the sisters throws a mean ball from the circle. Nicole went on to pitch at Snow College for one year, but Megan broke the mold when she graduated from Lehi at the end of last season and decided not to ply her pitching trade at the next level. Instead, she stepped to her favorite place at the opposite end of the battery and is now ripping it up at the College of Southern Idaho from the catcher's position.
The two sisters have taken turns pitching for Lehi with Ashley starting for the first few weeks while Ariel rehabilitated her injury and then Ariel taking over during the region season. But whether they're throwing fast balls and change-ups from the circle or playing in the field, these girls are taking care of business for the Pioneers.
They've combined for five home runs and plenty of extra base hits this season, racking up RBIs like they're candy.
But it's Ariel that gets most of the credit.
"To Megan and Ariel it comes naturally. I have to work harder," Ashley admitted, also noting that she does get competitive with her younger sister and sometimes the two don't get along.
When people talk about Zimmerman doing this for Lehi or Zimmerman doing that, "they always think it's Ariel," Ashley said and conceded that it gets hard on occasion. One of those hard times was when she was starting all the games early in the season, and Ariel was getting the credit for the wins from people that didn't actually see the games.
But now, Ashley just wants to win, and even though she'd like to pitch a little more often, she wants Ariel to throw the ball well and doesn't want her sister to be pulled from a game because she's having a rough time.
"I just love being part of the team and getting to know the girls better. And I love it when I really hit the ball," said Ashley, who is quite happy playing with a young and talented sister, especially since she's been tearing it up herself and is finally starting to get some heads turning her way.
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