Comfort and confidence finding Isaac Lough during legion season

He’s also played a part with the West Virginia Patriots team that typically fields the 18U players from the Legion circuit. It’s brought him a wealth of experience as he’s played in a majority of Post 68’s 24-4 slate.

Lough held an average of .263 in his junior season with the Bearcats. He tallied career highs in hits, RBI and runs. Through two seasons of stats on MaxPreps, Lough has a career average of .305. He has found 29 runs on 25 hits and has brought in 18 RBI. In terms of extra base hits, Lough’s found eight doubles, three triples and three home runs in his two recorded seasons.

For the Post 68 season, confidence has been key for Lough. His offseason goals revolved around finding comfort with the fundamentals and sharpening his skillset.

“I want to keep working on that front shoulder. Staying in with the ball,” Lough said. “I want to go opposite field and up the middle. I also want that hand to glove connection, keeping things simple.”

In a matchup with Fairmont Post 17, Lough found himself with a run and two RBI on a late-game double. After the game was finished, he seemed to have hit on all those points.

“I feel like I’m keeping my front shoulder in. I’m seeing the ball middle and away,” Lough said of his recent improvements after the matchup with Post 17. “I tend to pull the ball, but I’m hitting the ball solid. I’m really focused in on the ball-to-glove and fundamentals.”

Lough found two at-bats and a walk in that matchup as the team wrapped its order in the third inning. Lough’s three plate appearances are impressive considering that the game was finished 12-0 in five innings.

As Lough typically finds himself at the heart of the order, hitting eighth for the team during the matchup, he’s found himself as someone who is a runner in scoring position when the team gets back to the top of the order.

“It’s a huge confidence,” Lough said. “Being on second base and seeing the top of my lineup come back, we have confidence that we can keep going.”

It seems that Lough finished his junior season in the middle of growth in his game. His best performance of the season came against Frankfort during the team’s playoff slate.

Lough finished with three hits and an RBI in the matchup, batting .750 on the day.

It’s now commonplace for Lough to find a hit and a walk in each game at the very least. In his last five games with Bridgeport, Lough has found three runs, one hit, six walks and five RBI

Lough has been a part of a Bridgeport infield that rarely finds itself making errors. The team consistently converts on double plays and holds one of the best records in all of West Virginia.

Lough finished his junior year at Grafton with 16 errors, but he’s finding the confidence that could help him erase them in his final year.

“I’ve hit a lot better,” Lough said. “I’m fielding so much better, it’s amazing. I’m really confident that when a ball is hit, I can get to any of them.”