Barrington shortstop Tricia Hendrickson, left, is late applying the tag to Middletown’s Stephanie Fagan at second base during their softball game at Middletown yesterday. Click here for a gallery of game photos.

The Providence Journal / Bill Murphy

MIDDLETOWN — “Focused fun” is the approach the Barrington softball team has taken to the game since Holly Morris took over as head coach of her alma mater last season.

“When you are having fun, good things happen, yet we need to be focused with our positive energy consistently,” she said.

The approach worked last spring as the Eagles captured the Division II crown — their first state title since Morris helped Barrington win back-to-back Division I state championships as a catcher in 1995 and ’96.

The Eagles hope adhering to the “focused fun” philosophy spells still more success this season, and they have gotten off to a strong start, improving to 4-1 after handing Middletown its first loss, a 2-0 setback in yesterday’s II-South matchup.

“Today is big,” said Morris. “Heading into any game where the team hasn’t lost — that’s a statement that they’ve come out strong this year. [Middletown] is a well-coached program. They made some outstanding defensive plays in the outfield, and you can tell they play with a lot of heart. Yet it was nice that my kids didn’t seem to be fazed by it. They’re just even-keeled all the time. They come out and play the same way consistently, which is good to see.”

The Eagles lost five players to graduation, including tournament MVP and shortstop Jill Lewis, but return a number of players who also were key contributors last season.

Among them is pitcher Jamie Hallam, who earned second-team All-State honors after demonstrating great poise on the mound and at the plate during Barrington’s playoff run.

Hallam turned in a solid performance yesterday, recording 16 strikeouts and just two walks.

“Hallam has that competitive, whatever-it-takes attitude that comes from within that is hard to teach,” Morris said of the junior, who is once again working with batterymate Tricia Hendrickson, a sophomore. “She is one of the strongest defensive pitchers that I have seen.”

Displaying that same “inner fire,” says Morris, is fellow junior Sarah Whitten, who has shifted from second to short. She drove in what proved to be the winning run, plating Julie Lally with her triple into the right-center-field gap in the third inning.

A few newcomers to the lineup have been showing promise, according to Morris, including Brenna Rock, who has joined the team in her senior year and earned a starting position in center field. After Lally led off the third with a walk, Rock advanced her to second with a sacrifice bunt.

Although they are both freshmen, Jenna Martin and Meredith O’Connell already are showing signs that they are capable of being big contributors for the Eagles, adds Morris. It was a misplayed infield hit by O’Connell that allowed Whitten to score for Barrington’s other run against the Islanders.

“Last year was a complete team effort, and early on this year, it has been nice to see many new players on our roster step up and contribute in various ways,” said Morris, whose senior co-captains, Kelly Movesesian and Nicole D’Angelo, provide stability in the infield at second and third.

Armed with the 2-0 lead, Hallam took it from there, pitching herself out of two jams. Faced with runners on second and third and no outs in the bottom of the fourth, she struck out the next three batters to end the inning. With one out in the sixth, Middletown’s Stephanie Fagan made it to second when Barrington misplayed her hit to right. But Hallam retired the next two batters to end that threat, as well.

“I have to give credit to Jamie,” said Islanders coach Robin Ramey. “She was hitting a lot of different locations. There was a lot of movement on her pitches, and the girls were trying to catch up to it and they just couldn’t.”

Yesterday’s loss aside, Middletown has also gotten off to a solid start. In their first five contests combined, the young Islanders — whose roster includes just one senior in center fielder Shawna Parent — have outscored their opponents, 57-9. Freshman pitcher Brittany Lewis gave up just three hits and two walks, while fanning six, in the loss to the Eagles.

Barrington will host Mt. Hope tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Barrington

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Middletown

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Jamie Hallam and Tricia Hendrickson; Brittany Lewis and Sydney Springer.

cthorn@projo.com