Kayla Bonawitz has seen it all during her career with the Palmyra softball program. The good and the bad. The tranquility and the controversy.

But during the past four years, Bonawitz has always been a steadying influence on the players around her. She has led by example with her play on the field.

Last week, Bonawitz continued to lead the Cougars’ resurgence, both on the bench and in the field. At the plate, from the top of the Palmyra batting order, the senior  shortstop went  a combined five-for-eleven – a .455 clip – with two RBIs, a pair of doubles and four runs.

During a 12-0 home rout of Harrisburg on Tuesday, Bonawitz pieced together a two-for-four afternoon. Then the following day, in a 15-2 romp over  Middletown, she went three-for-four and scored three times.

Through eight games this season, Bonawitz and the Cougars are sitting at 4-4 overall. Bonawitz continues to hit well above the .400 line.

Bonawitz, who entertains aspirations to play the game at the next level, is also the Cougars’ best fielder and captain of the defense. So if one was to make the assumption that Bonawitz is Palmyra’s best all-around player, well he or she probably wouldn’t meet with too much argument.

 – Jeff Falk