- April 26, 2024
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Madison Bodin Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Abagaile Killian Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Tiana Hernandez Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Danielle Spaulding Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Marlana Sutton Photo by Jeff Dawsey
I know I run with the minority, when I say I enjoy pitching a lot more than hitting. It’s a sound of beauty to hear that “thoomph,” when the ball hits the catcher’s mitt for a strike.
I would rather watch a 2-1 game with only three hits than see a 6-5 final with 15 hits and even a couple home runs.
Covering Flagler Palm Coast, Mainland, Matanzas and Seabreeze softball this season has benefited my preference a great deal. All of their pitches have played at a high level so far.
FPC’s Tiana Hernandez and Mainland’s Abagaile Killian may be the best pitches in the area. Hernandez has posted a 7-2 record (as of Monday) with a 0.71 ERA. She has struck out 56 batters in 59 innings pitched, while allowing only six earned runs for the season. Most impressively, she has pitched a no-hitter this season.
Killian has won and lost four games while pitching almost 50 innings. She has struck out 103 batters while only walking three (a 34.3 strikeout per walk ratio). That’s insane! Killian has allowed 28 hits and has a 0.70 ERA.
What makes these two even more impressive is they are top hitters on their team. Killian leads the Bucs in batting average, RBIs, and is second in hits, and Hernandez also leads the Bulldogs in batting average, RBIs and hits and is second in runs.
Madison Bodin has led the Pirates to its best start in program history with a 6-2 record while pitching 49 innings. She has struck out 47 batters while only walking 14 and allowing seven earned runs. She has a 0.98 ERA.
The Sandcrabs have used two pitchers — Danielle Spaulding and Marlana Sutton. Both girls have struck out 12 batters a piece while sharing a combined 3-2 record. Sutton has a 0.93 ERA, and Spaulding has a 1.70 ERA.
Most of these girls have faced off against and have beaten one another. With a pitching preference over hitting, it’s always exciting to watch them battle, because they make opposing batters miss on a regular occasion.
I can't wait to watch one pitch against another. Give me either two.
