The year 2021 will be a memorable one for a number of reasons, and for one Mexico High School junior, it will be forever tied to the sight of a softball soaring over the centerfield fence.

Mexico Bulldog Abby Bellamy and company made it to the district championship softball game and posted a 11-10 record. And along the way, there was no shortage of highlights. Fall sports are but a memory now, with winter taking hold. For Abby, it may be the offseason, but for her, there is no true offseason. She’s been attending camps and is eyeing the return of travel ball in January. Softball’s been a way of life since she was a youngster. Her mother, Kris, played as did her sister, Brittany. Fair to say, they had an influence on her.

“I kind of just got it from them,” Abby said, estimating she’s been playing since she was three, coming up through the ranks of t-ball. 

Since her early beginnings, she’s kept working and kept trying to get better. 

It seems to be paying off.

“This has been my best year,” Abby said.

Her 2021 Bulldogs season was indeed impressive, as she posted some downright staggering numbers: 42 hits in 82 at bats, 15 doubles, 37 RBI,  .512 batting average, .556 on base percentage and a 1.085 slugging percentage. And she struck out only 10 times. 

Her play earned her postseason recognition, earning spots on First Team All-Conference, First Team All-District, First Team All-Region, and First Team All-State, Class 3 teams.

“I just try to be better than myself,” Abby says. 

It’s a simple statement and philosophy, but competing against herself provides the edge she needs. Improvement is the key and overcomplicating the process isn’t necessary. Entering the ‘21 Bulldogs campaign, her approach was similarly simple.

“I just wanted to do better than I did last year,” she said. 

At the forefront of her offensive numbers is her home run-hitting ability. Abby eclipsed the old school record of eight, which she held with Abby Oetting, Patience Holman and Logan Blevins. She connected for her ninth in a 13-3 win over Hannibal, driving the ball over the center field fence. 

Interviewed by The Ledger’s then-editor, Dave Faries, it was obvious that Abby had her sights set on the record.

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone,” she told Faries. “I finally broke it.”

Before the season closed out, she added another, finishing with 10. While she’s rightfully earned a reputation for the round-tripper, her approach at the plate isn’t power-driven.

“I’m just trying to hit the ball,” she says.

Her 15 doubles, slugging percentage and total bases are also school records.

Abby plays for the Aces travel ball team, based out of Columbia. Once play begins, she’ll be competing in tournaments each weekend.  And while fall 2022 may seem like a long way off right now, Abby is looking forward to returning for her senior season and feels the Bulldogs will be able to reload. She’s looking forward to being a senior and sees it as an opportunity to step up as a leader.

“I just want to bring the team together as a whole,” she said. “I want us to grow as a team and grow individually,” she says.

She’s also at a juncture where she’s thinking about life after high school too.

“I definitely want to play in college,” Abby said. 

Of course, playing for a Division 1 school is the goal, but Division 2 doesn’t sound bad either. University of Missouri- Columbia is at the top of her list, but she’s kicking the tires on Arkansas and Oklahoma. She loves both states.

“They’re so pretty,” she said. “And they’re good schools.”

Abby is the daughter of Kris and Bill Bellamy. She has two older siblings, including the previously mentioned Brittany, and brother, Alex, who wrestled and played football.

“I grew up around a lot of sports,” she said. 

Mom and sis were catchers and starting out, so was Abby. That would change for a simple reason.

“I got hurt too many times,” she said with a laugh. 

With that, she transitioned to third base. 

“I sort of learned on the fly,” she said.

She’s also learned from her coaches who have left their impact. Growth in the sport comes from listening, learning and applying insights and instruction to her own game.

Abby breaks it down.

“It’s taking different bits and pieces from everyone else and putting it into my own style.”

And aain, she keeps it simple.