Speed is always the name of the game for Oswego sophomore Adalynn Fugitt.

Holder of three track records at Traughber Junior High, Fugitt was the catalyst to Oswego’s state softball champions, batting leadoff as a freshman. If Fugitt hits it to the outfield, she’s not stopping at first.

“I definitely aim for gaps,” Fugitt said. “As soon as I see it hitting the ground in the outfield, I’m taking second.”

But Fugitt’s tools aren’t limited to her feet.

A natural righty who hits left-handed now, Fugitt is hitting with more authority as a sophomore. And she’s taking on a bigger role as a pitcher.

Fugitt checked all those boxes during Monday’s crosstown game.

She had three doubles, reached base four times, scored three runs and drove in two. And Fugitt struck out six in a two-hit shutout, Oswego’s 10-0, five-inning win over visiting Oswego East.

“She is a triple threat,” Oswego coach Annie Scaramuzzi said.

Sophie Morland had three hits and three RBIs, and Betsy Jack two hits and four RBIs for Oswego (9-7, 4-1 Southwest Prairie Conference). Carleigh Gregory had both hits for Oswego East (10-5, 2-3).

Fugitt is always a threat to take the extra base.

She hit a hustle double to right-center leading off Oswego’s first inning, and scored on a Jack single for the first run. In the third, Fugitt went the other way for a double to left.

The only thing that stopped Fugitt from taking three bases on her two-run double in the fifth was the baserunner in front of her.

“She was fast today. She looked like she turned on the jets a little bit,” Scaramuzzi said. “She is a game-changer at the top of our lineup. Speed kills. She makes contact and it’s touching grass, she’s on two.”

Fugitt can lay a bunt down, or slap.

She set a program record with 52 runs last year, and had 18 stolen bases. But she’s worked to add strength to that speed.

“I worked a lot in the offseason in gaining my power, working on my standing swing which is a power swing,” Fugitt said. “I’ve been told that is what I’m going to need for college ball, slaps will be more strategic and my power swing working to be more primary.”

It’s shown. Fugitt is batting .435 with a .581 slugging percentage, second to Jack in both on the team, with a team-best 27 hits and 19 runs scored.

“A lot of lifting, good nutrition and just a lot of work in the cages,” Fugitt said.

“She’s in the 5 a.m. lifting group,” Scaramuzzi noted.

Fugitt is also carrying a heavier load in the circle.

With Aubriella Garza graduated and now at NIU, Fugitt is sharing pitching duties with Purdue commit Jaelynn Anthony. Fugitt has started 14 of 16 Oswego’s games, in part to save Anthony’s arm for the stretch run and postseason, in part to give Fugitt experience.

She’s 6-3 with a 3.17 ERA and 65 strikeouts over 57⅓ innings.

“Ada and Jae complement each other well; our game plan is to use the staff we have been given,” Scaramuzzi said. “Give Ada the experience she’ll need the next two years but also put Jae in the position to go the distance. It worked for us last year. It gave Jae the gas in the tank we needed.”

Fugitt, more finesse to Anthony’s power, held down an Oswego East lineup that came in averaging over eight runs a game. She allowed two hits and a walk, only one baserunner getting past first.

“Working to throw off the batter’s eye,” Fugitt said. “I moved the ball and changed speeds. It’s a lot about strategy and coach Annie does a good job.”

Fugitt’s battery mate, sophomore catcher Payton Hatzinger, gave Oswego a 2-0 lead with a two-out solo homer in the second, her first of the season.

“It was great,” Hatzinger said. “I’ve hit a lot of foul balls over the fence this season. It was good to finally straighten that one out and get it over.”

Oswego East, trailing just 2-0 with two out in the fourth, saw things quickly unravel after a dropped pop-up in the infield.

The next batter was hit, Fugitt reached on an error and Morland, Jack and Anthony followed with run-scoring hits to make it 6-0.

Wolves’ starting pitcher Addyson Dunn turned her ankle trying to beat out a bunt single in the top of the fifth and Oswego scored four more runs in the bottom half.

“The final score does not reflect our capabilities against this team,” Oswego East coach Sarah Davies said. “It was not our hitting day. We couldn’t adjust to the breaking pitches that Adalynn was throwing. I have all the confidence that next time we’ll be ready.”