High School Video: The “Home Run Hug” Between Opposing Ohio Pitchers Addi Burdick & Haley Ferguson

Sportsmanship has, literally, taken a black eye this week in softball (click HERE if you don’t know what we’re talking about)… but it’s not like that everywhere.

Tuesday night, there was a great example of how it should be done in Ohio high school play as two of the top 2024 pitchers in the country faced off in a cross-town showdown rivalry between their Dayton Metro programs: Springboro High and Beavercreek High.

The two schools are part of the Greater Western Ohio Conference, a large Division I conference where the average school grad class is 900 students.

Let’s set the stage to what happened…

The high school contest is a nail-bitter and it goes into the 10^th inning. If that’s not uncomfortable enough, the evening temperature is 43 degrees with the wind chill in the ‘30’s.

It’s one heck of a battle and the elements are just part of it; the game is highlighted by two dominant pitching performances as the game is tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the 10^th inning.

Addi Burdick of Springboro is in the circle and faces her counterpart, Haley Ferguson. There is one out and no one on when—crack!—Haley smashes a walk-off home run over the left field fence to give her team the thrilling 2-1 win.

The pitching and hitting hero—who only gave up one unearned run and two hits while striking out 16 batters—circles the bases and when she crosses the plate, she gets a congratulatory hug, naturally… but it’s not from who you think it would be (a teammate or coach).

No, it’s from Addi—the hard-luck losing pitcher who gave up two runs on five hits scattered over 10 innings while striking out 15 batters—and who, though worn out, semi-frozen and dejected, is the first one to meet Haley at the plate with a handshake that turns into a hug.

That, softball fans, is a heart-warming display of sportsmanship that is sorely lacking in the world today.

Here’s the video of the final play and the accompanying hug between the two pitchers at the plate:

“What amazing sportsmanship!” Haley’s father, Jeremy Ferguson, says of the two standout sophomores coming together. “This is what respect looks like.”

It’s also what friendship looks like.

Addi and Haley have played with and against each other since 10U travel ball. Haley started with the Ohio Lasers while Addi competed for the Miami Valley Express and, ultimately, the two were in the same dugout at 14U when they both played for the Beverly Bandits – Yates team.

More recently, they joined other club squads as Haley currently plays for the Mojo 2023 – Lunsford team and Addi is now on the Ohio Hawks – Harbold squad.

The two have kept in touch and are friends to this day. Addi, a 5-foot-11 “pure athlete” is certainly highly thought-of by the Ferguson family.

“Addi is extremely competitive on the field,” explains Jeremy, Haley’s father, “but she is always the kind-hearted kid with a smile on her face.  It is hard to be so competitive yet always be such a positive person—even when things go wrong—but Addi is like that. She is one of those you just love to be around.”

The two pitchers have certainly made their mark at both the club and high school levels.

Haley was ranked #13 overall in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 published last Fall and as the #9 ranked Pitcher (Duo) while Addi was #113 in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 and the #74 ranked Pitcher (Duo).

Haley’s Beavercreek High team is currently 5-1 and she is dominating with five wins, a 0.88 ERA and 59 K’s in 37 innings while batting .611. Addi is also excelling for her Springboro squad as she has 34 K’s in 37 innings and is second in the Greater Western Ohio Conference in home runs.

“The meeting at the plate that resulted in a hug from Addi,” continues Haley’s father, “was not a shock because they always meet after games and congratulate each other.  But to have Haley hit the walk-off and then Addi be the first one at the plate to hug her was special.”

“Haley was very excited to have hit her first high school walk-off,” Jeremy concludes, “but a little sad it was against Addi on the other end. The hug had a lot of emotions attached.”

— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball