By DAVID COLBURN

News editor

The Hillsboro Trojans were cruising against Kingman on Monday. After winning the first game of softball doubleheader, they were one out away from wrapping up a second win.

Allison Weber was in firm control as she pitched to a would-be final batter. Suddenly, a line drive ripped straight back at her changed all that.

A dull smack, and Weber was on the ground, coaches, umpires, and teammates rushing to her aid. She was still, with her hands up near her neck.

“It was scary,” head coach Stephanie Sinclair said. “I did not know where it hit her. I thought maybe her throat.”

Rather than her throat, the ball slammed into Weber’s right collarbone. A pained look on her face, she sat up, was checked to be sure the bone hadn’t broken.

Nervousness gave way to relief as she stood, the crowd applauding. Sinclair injected some levity.

“I commented, ‘You’re trying to outdo your sister,’ because her sister was a pitcher, too, and took a line drive right in her gut,” Sinclair said. “Then she started laughing, so I knew she was probably OK.”

Weber didn’t say anything when Sinclair asked if she wanted a substitute to finish the game. Instead, she made some motions to loosen up, tossed several practice pitches, and then indicated she was good to go.

“We looked at the batters that were coming up where they hit before, and I think it reassured her she might not get a shot right back at her,” Sinclair said.

The Trojans retired the next batter and kept their record spotless, something Sinclair attributes in part to the development of younger players encouraged by veteran leadership.

“All of them seem to keep their composure on the field,” Sinclair said. “We’re still working on everything, but everybody who’s stepped into positions to play have played without error.”