Softball has long been a staple in the lives of Danielle and Isabella Henning, and they hardly know what it’s like to step on the diamond without each other.
The twins, who are juniors at Owensboro Catholic, have been playing together since they were young, and they are now leaders for a fairly youthful Lady Aces squad. Head coach Jeremy Phelps said they each have their own style, but the sisters complement each other.
“Danielle is super, super competitive,” Phelps said. “She’s the vocal leader. She’s the one that’s going to tell you what’s going on and she’s going to encourage you. Isabella is not as vocal, but she leads by example. The other girls look up to both of them though. They’re going to work hard everyday. They’re motivated.”
The duo have helped lead Catholic to a 9-5 start, including a flawless 6-0 in region action and 4-0 in district play. Their approach at the plate is a major factor, and they bat near the top of a potent lineup. Isabella, a lefty, bats second and Danielle is third.
“We feed off each other,” Danielle said. “She gets a hit, then I get a hit. We pass it along and pump each other up.”
It shows in the stats, as Isabella leads the team with 20 hits and Danielle is tied for second with 17. Isabella also leads the team in doubles (7), triples (2), home runs (4), RBIs (19), runs (19) and batting average (.426). Danielle is second in doubles (5) and runs (17), and is third in home runs (2) and RBIs (13).
The two are also versatile in the field. Danielle is primarily at shortstop but can move around the infield, while Isabella rotates between center field and first base.
“Being able to play multiple positions, wherever the team needs them, I don’t have to worry about those two,” Phelps said. “They want to be where the ball is hit.”
Isabella said while she and her sister are competitive with each other, it’s also nice having such a strong relationship with someone on the field.
“It’s fun,” she said. “You’ve got someone you can really trust. You always know she has your back.”
Their bond is so deep they even committed to play softball at the same college, making the announcement earlier this year that they plan to attend Indiana State University.
Isabella said she’s still focused on her high school career, but she’s excited for the opportunity to keep going after graduation.
“I didn’t really know what level I wanted to play at, but I really love (playing softball),” she said.
Danielle said it will be a unique experience but thinks by staying together, they can both benefit and continue to get better.
“Ever since we were young, it was always wanting to play college softball,” she said. “I never thought anything different than that. We’ve always played together. It’s really cool. You don’t really see twins going to the same school. I think we can really help each other.”
Phelps, though, can be happy he’s still got another year and a half with the Hennings. With a roster full of underclassmen, having a pair of experienced players is crucial.
“That’s a nice feeling,” he said. “You keep working with them and keep getting better and you’ve got something to look forward to.”
Danielle said she thinks the team has plenty of potential and would love the opportunity to advance to the state tournament and bring home a title.
“I think we have a good future ahead,” she said. “We just have to keep working hard, practicing and getting better so we keep moving forward.”
Isabella said they use their years of experience to help guide the team, and she also has high expectations. Isabella said she and her sister are willing to play anywhere and do what it takes to help the Lady Aces succeed.
“We have to help the younger ones get into the groove of things because they’ll be where we are soon,” she said. “We’ve got big things to come. We’re still young. We just want to get better every day and do what’s best to help our team.”
