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Hy-Vee Athlete of the Week award knocked out of the park

Madison Hoffman Blue Springs South
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BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Madison Hoffman knew the moment she hit it.

"I knew it was gone," said the Blue Springs South sophomore.

Her coach's only doubt was quickly erased.

"The only question that I had initially off the bat was, 'Was it high enough?'" said Blue Spring South softball coach Kristi Williams. "Now on the replay, I was like, 'Wow that was dumb. It was way high enough.'"

The Jaguars are watching it on loop, considering Hoffman's hit was a three-run, walk-off home run to beat Grain Valley and give Blue Springs South a district title in Missouri Class 5.

"It was a rocket," Williams said.

It was also clutch.

Hoffman, Blue Springs South's 2-hole hitter and right fielder, stepped up to the plate last week with her team down 7-6 in the bottom of the 7th and final inning. There were two outs and two runners on base.

"I did not feel nervous at all," Hoffman said. "I was pretty calm."

Impressive, considering an out meant the Jaguars' dominating season (their record now sits at 27-4) would come to an end.

"Madison is the kind of kid who loves that situation," Williams said. "She loves to have her teammates depending on her."

Hoffman blasted a 3-1 pitch over the center field wall, ending the game and putting her stamp on Blue Springs South softball history.

"That's the first one that I've ever had that's a walk-off that we were behind," Williams said.

Hoffman summed up the experience in just a few words.

"It felt pretty good," she said.

Blue Springs South will continue in the softball playoffs on Thursday.