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It's A Family Affair For Our Lady of Mercy Academy Softball Team

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)—It's a family affair for the softball team at Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Newfield, Gloucester County.

Leo Hagerty is the head coach and his daughters Madison and Morgan are two of the teams top players.

"I treat them like every other girl on the team, they still may think their expectations should be higher because they are my daughters, but its been very easy to coach them," said Coach Hagerty.

Madison is a senior and the team's catcher. She also is the first player in school history to have over 100 career hits.

Morgan is a junior and OLMA's pitcher. In a season of firsts for OLMA, Morgan threw a perfect game in Tuesday's playoff win. The first playoff win in school history and the first perfect game as well. Madison was catching and trying her best to not to jinx it.

"The past times I caught her and she's been throwing a really good game, and I'll say , 'Oh Morgan you're on track for a perfect game.' Something would happen, like an error or something, so this time I didn't say anything about it, I kept quiet to myself and caught the pitches and after it happened I just ran out to her, like, 'You did it!'" said Morgan.

The rest of the team is rolling too, reaching double digit wins for the first time in years.

"This year we really have stepped up and shown other teams that we are competing with them and we can hang with them in the playoffs," said Elena Anglani, a sophomore at OLMA, who plays shortstop.

But it all starts with the battery mate sisters.

"Morgan and Maddie they are great together, I think it's good that they are actually sisters, one pitches and the other catches because you know they have a bond," said Tori Smith, who plays third base. "A catcher and pitcher bond is like no other on the team."

"If there's a pitch I have in mind that I want to throw, I just look at her and she calls the pitch, she knows what I'm thinking," Morgan said.

For Coach Hagerty it's been a magic ride coaching his daughters from t-ball all the way to here.

"I'm blessed to have all these years and as much time as we spend together on the field and off the field it's just been absolutely wonderful," he said.

 

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