ANDOVER — The ball was jumping off the Andover softball team’s bats on Friday afternoon.
Right in the middle of the fun was junior Evie Rittershaus.
The Golden Warriors, who entered the Merrimack Valley Conference matchup against Tewksbury with 97 runs in their first eight games, belted 13 hits including four home runs in the 11-5 route.
And no one was hotter than Rittershaus.
She finished 3 for 4 with two homers, four RBI and scored four times.
Her blasts didn’t come from some analytical technology or launch angle teachings.
Her instruction came from “the old school way”.
“Dave Bettencourt taught me how to hit,” she said of the Andover coaching legend. “I’ve been going to him since I was 11 or 12 years old. He really helped me my bat speed, but also taking pitches and waiting for my pitch.”
Bettencourt’s philosophy and teachings have worked with many local baseball and softball players in the past, and are certainly working with Rittershaus.
“She’s been my No. 3 hitter since her freshman year,” said Andover head coach Rick Quattrocchi. “She’s batting over .600 this season and (after today) she has six home runs. She hit seven last year and two as a freshman. I have a lot of good hitters but she’s my best pure hitter that I have.”
Her performance on Friday wasn’t a one-time thing. She’s belted multiple home runs in two earlier games, including in the cooler early April temperatures.
“Honestly (my power) has been a shock to me,” said Rittershaus. “I do think I’m strong naturally. I go to the gym sometimes and do work out on my own, but overall (the home runs) are just a shock. I do put in a lot of work in the offseason. I also throw the shot put during indoor track and that helps with my strength, too.”
She added that she likes to get ahead of the count to force the pitcher’s hand to throw strikes, and she also will take advantage of pitcher’s mistakes.
In other words, she’s learned how to become an elite hitter.
“Dave helps me a lot just staying mentally stable. It’s a big part of the game and just really important and he helps me stay up,” she said. “It’s good to go to him, see him and (get instruction from him). I spent a lot of time with him during this (past off-season).”
Besides Rittershaus, teammates Aria Fraser (3 for 4, 3 runs) and Caroline Samaris (2 for 3, 3 RBI) also smacked home runs.
“The home runs are actually contagious because every time I hit a home run this year, Caroline has followed and she hits one,” said Rittershaus. “All three games. I just think our team is so close so when one player hits a home run, everyone just feeds off each other’s energy (and others follow).”
The trio combined for eight hits, including a double, while scoring nine times and knocking in eight.
“Fraser is our leadoff hitter and she just reached 100 (career) hits, runs and stolen bases — she hit these huge, huge milestones and she’s just really powerful. Caroline is also very powerful and she stays up (and has a great attitude),” said Rittershaus. “They’re both really good hitters.”
And so is she.