Senior pitcher Hannah Miller has broken Westside’s strikeout record with 458K strikeouts in 363.1 innings. In a district game against Elkhorn South Miller threw her 458K strikeout beating the 457K record that has been in place since 2000. Miller talks about how hard she worked to beat the record.
“At the beginning of the season I didn’t think I was going to be able to even come close to the record. I went to countless pitching lessons over the summer and a couple during the season to reach the 458ks. I always had Hadley there for me to catch every pitch, as she keeps me in check while I’m on the mound,” Miller said.
Miller has been a part of the varsity team since she was a freshman. Since her first year on the team she has been working hard to make an impact on the team. Head coach Mike Leapley talks about the importance and true impact this achievement means for Westside softball.
“ It’s truly a fantastic accomplishment for Westside and its softball team. It was a 25-year-old record by a really great pitcher, which is why it stood for so long. It has to be said that it took 25 years to beat the record by an amazing pitcher,” Leapley said.
Senior Hadley Hansen has been a huge impact on Miller’s softball career. Hansen talks about what it means to be able to be a part of this with Miller.
“ I’m honored that I got to catch so many of those strikeouts that Hannah had this year and every year prior. She is such an amazing athlete and friend so sharing that moment was really special. Everyone knew she was close to breaking the record but when it was announced I was just awestruck. There is no one more deserving than Hannah to hold that record, and I know she is gonna continue to do amazing things at the next level,” Hansen said.
Coach Leapley has been a huge part of Miller’s career as he is her high school coach and club coach. Miller talks about what coach Leapley has done to coach her through this achievement.
“ Mike has pushed me to be the best version of myself by always supporting me and being there for me, even if it’s just a look over at him in a tough situation. He’ll pop a joke and have a laugh once in a while when things are tense. He reminds me that I can do hard things when I put my mind to it. He really is the best coach to have,” Miller said.
Even though the season didn’t end the way the warriors wanted it to, it was still a record breaking season. On top of Miller’s strikeout record, Westside won the 1st round in state, which hasn’t happened since 2009. Coach Leapley talks about the impact Miller had this season to take them this far.
“As a team, we accomplished a lot. We wanted to have a winning record, hold a district title, and, most importantly, advance to state—all goals we set. Which we did. Of course, we wanted to win the state. I would say doing 3 out 4 of makes is a great season. By doing this H was a huge part of it. 15-8 record with 186 strikeouts era 2.5. That is how you contribute to a team,” Leapley said.
Miller and Hansen have developed an unbreakable bond on and off the field which had a huge impact on the field. Miller talks about what it means to pitch to Hansen and how pitching to Hansen made this possible.
“It means the world to be able to pitch to Hadley. She is an outstanding catcher and person to always have by my side. I would not have been able to get the record without her; the countless support when it comes to mound meetings will be something I’ll miss. We have such a strong bond that makes it easy to trust her in every situation. She always knows what to call, even if I don’t know if it’ll go well but she’s always right,” Miller said.
Hansen makes all the calls that Miller pitches, she knows Miller and what she is capable of. She talks about how she knows what calls to make to have gotten Miller this far.
“Me and Hannah have a great connection as a battery and almost always we are just in sync in knowing what to throw to batters. I have been catching for a while, and I have caught Hannah for a while so I believe it is just a combination of understanding pitch calling sequences, and knowing the pitches Hannah can throw to produce strikeouts. Some pitches work better or worse depending on the day so that is something we talk about in the pre-game bullpen, and we are able to be open and honest with each other in those moments which is a great in-game advantage,” Hansen said.
This accomplishment not only meant a lot to Miller but also to her coach and other girls on the team. Miller has set the bar for what a pitcher is capable of. Coach Leapley talks about what it means to him to be able to coach Miller all these years.
“Where do I start? To coach H, you have to get to know her. It’s essential to understand her as a person, both on and off the field. What kind of day is she having? How is one feeling mentally? It’s hard to be a pitcher and perform at a high level day in and day out. H and I talk throughout the week. I speak to her catcher, Hadley. Life is bigger than the game of softball. You have to get to know your players. I know from that standpoint that is how I got the best out of H!,” Leapley said.
Miller will be continuing her athletic career at Rockhurst University. Achieving this goal means a lot to her going into her college career. Miller talks about what it truly means to her to be able to take this accomplishment with her to the next level.
“ It’s awesome to be able to take my accomplishments to Rockhurst. I am excited to show that I have done something really cool, but I’m also excited to see all the other talent there will be there. Rockhurst has an amazing team and I cannot wait to be part of it,” Miller said.
Miller ended her senior season with 485K strikeouts in 388 Innings holding Westside’s new strikeout record.
