When you want to change the culture of a softball program – the direction in which it is heading – the best place to start is ‘inside the circle’. And if you want to build a pitching staff, a great place to start is Melanie Showers.

The emergence of Showers as a pitcher has helped redefine and revamp Northern Lebanon as a softball program.

This week, Showers continued to spearhead the Vikings’ resurgence.

On Wednesday evening at Manetas Park in Denver, Showers was overpowering while leading Northern Lebanon to a Lancaster-Lebanon Section Three 7-2 road win over Cocalico. Working ahead in the count, moving her pitches in and out and up and down, and changing speeds, the junior right-hander hurled a complete game, scattered five hits, whiffed 12 and issued just a single walk.

That, combined with a 2-1 win over Elco earlier in the week, left the Vikings 11-6 on the season. With three regular-season games remaining, Northern Lebanon is in great shape to qualify for the District Three Class AAAA tournament.

Showers has certainly done her part, with three wins and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 6-1.

 – Jeff Falk