All-Press Softball: Bats doing all the talking

By: 
J. Patrick Eaken

Two years ago, the Alan Miller Jewelers pitcher of the year, then-Eastwood senior Ashley Hitchcock, had an 0.61 ERA, striking out 369 batters in 171 innings and giving up only 15 earned runs.

Of course, now in her sophomore year at Rutgers University, Hitchcock is the ace of the staff, pitching to some of the best hitters in NCAA Division I softball and the Big Ten Conference.

Two years later, lights-out pitching in the area seems to be lacking, and coaches say that appears to be the trend in prep softball. However, on the offensive side of the spectrum, we are seeing gaudy numbers like we’ve never seen before.

This year’s Alan Miller Jewelers Offensive Player of the Year, Eastwood sophomore catcher Delaney Maynard, batted .523 (56 for 107) with 49 runs, 39 RBIs, 10 doubles, 11 triples, seven home runs, a .630 on-base percentage and she walked 13 times while striking out just twice.

Maynard earned second team Division III All-Ohio honors, as well as first team All-Northern Buckeye Conference and all-district accolades. However, there are even gaudier numbers.

Gibsonburg sophomore pitcher Jenna Bloomfield, who is first team All-Press for her batting and pitching, belted a school-record 16 home runs to go along with a .511 batting average (45 for 88), .613 on-base percentage and 1.239 slugging. Bloomfield had 14 doubles, a triple, 52 RBIs and scored 45 runs. She walked 20 times and struck out just six times.

On this year’s All-Press first team, six players batted over. 500 and all were .400 or better, except one, who batted .392. Remember, when the 10 area coaches voted, they are also considering the players’ defensive prowess.

Where is all this hitting coming from?

“I think the factors are that hitting has caught up with the pitching, especially in the area of training,” said Oak Harbor coach Chris Rawski. “Hitters now have many viable options to take lessons, and become better at their craft year-round. 

“Another factor is equipment. The bats are so much better and more expensive than they ever have been, and they continue to improve each year. Finally, softball players are doing more physical training and weight training year-round. This increases bat speed and power.”

Still, give credit to the All-Press Co-Pitchers of the Year, Eastwood freshman Cassie Kieper and Oak Harbor junior Reagan Schultz, who tied for top honors in the voting. Their ERAs of 3.36 and 3.43 are formidable considering the hitters they are facing.

Cardinal Stritch coach Tony Esposito notes one no-brainer — the pitching rubber was shifted back a few years ago for safety reasons. However, Esposito also factors in the “time commitment and drive needed to become an elite pitcher.” He adds that his experience comes from the small-school Division IV “point of view” and may not apply to all programs.

“I also believe there are fewer players choosing to play softball which is causing more and more schools to eliminate freshman and JV teams, thus causing developmental issues in fundamental aspects of the game,” Esposito said. 

“Smaller schools are asking underclassmen to jump from an eighth grade level of rec ball and young travel teams to varsity level play in one year. There is a critical step being missed on the development of high school players.”

 

Rockets, Eagles find success

Except for Northwood, which won the Toledo Area Athletic Conference championship this season, there were no league championships in the Eastern Maumee Bay community, which is the exception and not the norm.

Maynard and Kieper led Eastwood to a 21-8 overall record and 10-4 in the NBC. The Eagles reached the district final only to fall 2-1 to NBC champion Otsego, which was ranked ninth in the state.

Schultz, who also got votes for Offensive POY, led Oak Harbor to a 22-8 season, including 6-4 in the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division. Schultz hit .452 (38 for 84) with eight doubles, four triples, five home runs, 25 RBIs, 44 runs, and in 106 plate appearances, she struck out five times while walking 16 times.

“She was great in the circle and amazing at the plate,” Rawski said. “She carries us on in so many ways.”

Oak Harbor senior left fielder Ellie Hanselman was first team all-district and second team All-Ohio. She scored a school record 45 runs, plus batted .500 (45 for 90) with six doubles, four triples, two home runs, 26 RBIs, and had a .563 on-base and .722 slugging percentage. She is the eighth Oak Harbor player to earn all-state honors, with two players, Madison Rathbun (2015-17) and Ashley Riley (2016-18) earning all-state accolades three times each.

The Rockets went 3-2 against what Rawski called “stiff competition” during a Florida trip, then had a rocky start in SBC play and going 6-5 over the first 11 games. The players then started one of the best runs in school history, winning 16 of their last 18 games.

During that stretch, they won the Croll Family Tournament for the sixth consecutive year and after getting voted the No. 1 seed in the district tournament, won the program’s eighth sectional championship.

“The players had a huge 3-1 win in the district semifinal over St. Ursula,” Rawski said. “The Rockets fell short in a dramatic comeback effort in the district final against Wauseon, 13-9. This group showed grit and determination throughout the season and made the fans of Oak Harbor softball very proud.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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