Focus gets Smith through challenging pitching week
By Jerry Giese ,Journal sports writer | Posted: Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Kayla Smith stayed focused in a challenging week for Akron-Westfield's softball team.
Eighth-ranked (Class 3A) Sergeant Bluff-Luton entered the game against the eighth-ranked (2A) Westerners with six players batting over .300, including senior shortstop Kristen Martinson, who was at .429 with one home run, six doubles and 10 RBIs. Smith, a senior righthander who had pitched in the last two 2A state championship games, threw a three-hitter and struck out nine in a 6-1 triumph.
South O'Brien, one of the WEC's most improved teams, went down 11-0 as Smith allowed three hits and fanned eight. One night earlier, Ashton Lansink had become the first player in the South O'Brien program to hit three home runs in a single game in a 13-0 win over West Sioux.
Overall, Smith, the Sioux City Journal's Siouxland Athlete of the Week, went 5-0 last week, allowing 15 hits and just two walks while striking out 44.
"Sergeant Bluff was our main focus because it was tough for us last year against them," said Smith, a Morningside College softball recruit who entered this week's action with an 11-1 record and is 86-7 in a career that started as an eighth-grader.
"They are all good hitters and some of them are good power hitters. I had to focus on keeping it out of their zone, make them swing at pitches and go after them.
"I have a good changeup. It's not like that's a secret. That pitch was awesome that night."
"I knew we had to play to our highest potential to go 5-0 last week," said Akron-Westfield Coach Todd Colt. "Part of the reason we did it is because Kayla threw to her potential every night. We played three very good softball teams last week and we were fortunate Kayla had her 'A" game."
Focus is part of what makes Smith special.
Heading into this week, the 18-year-old daughter of Briggs and Kim Smith of Akron along with Kurt and Jeaneen Moore of Akron had a 0.42 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 66.3 innings. Opponents were hitting .146 against her.
Perhaps the most amazing statistic -- she has walked only eight batters all season.
Colt, who guided the Westerners to the 2005 Class 1A state championship and a 2A state crown one year later, said Smith has improved from the hard thrower who fanned 306 batters as a sophomore.
"She has made a big improvement in her control and the variety of pitches she throws," said Colt. "As a sophomore, she threw 3 miles per hour faster, but eventually, teams caught up to her fastball. She found that out as a junior.
"Now, she's developed into a pitcher versus just a thrower. She's good at changing her speed and changing her location.
"Her biggest strength is her willingness to be a better pitcher. She pitches about 10 months out of the year. Jessica Jones-Sitzmann (Morningside's head coach) works with her and has taught her how to keep the ball out of the middle of the plate and has worked with her on trying to paint the corners more."
"She stresses how to focus and concentrate on what your pitch is at the time," said Smith, who has worked with Jones-Sitzmann since fifth grade.
"You have to be focused on what your pitch is and where your spot is. If you hit the wrong spot, teams will crush it.
"You have to focus on your placement and how you throw it. Sometimes, you have to outsmart teams. They might know what I'm throwing, so I have to keep it low and get it past them."
Smith's catcher, classmate Shelby Johnson, also keeps her focused. The two have worked together since third grade.
Johnson, a Northwestern recruit, provides Smith with a target Colt said is wider than the average catcher. Smith almost followed Johnson to Northwestern, but felt loyalty to Jones-Sitzmann, who she says knows her as well as Johnson.
"Shelby and I know what each other is thinking because we are on the same page all the time," said Smith. "I'll be lost without her next year because I won't have this person reading my mind and knowing what I'm thinking.
"Morningside has good catchers, I know. But the way Shelby and I know each other and where we're coming from, it won't be the same."
SPECIAL MENTION
Baseball
Levi Maxfield, Sergeant Bluff-Luton: The sophomore pitcher has thrown three straight no-hitters, two which came last week. He fanned eight in a 15-0, four-inning win over Akron-Westfield, then struck out 17, including 11 of the first 12 he faced, in a 3-0 win over Spalding Catholic.
Justin Yockey, Maple Valley Anthon-Oto: The senior shortstop/pitcher threw a three-hitter and struck out six in a 2-1 win over eighth-ranked (Class 1A) Westwood. He also rapped two home runs, a double and six RBIs in an 11-4 win over Battle Creek-Ida Grove.
NOTE: Nominations (from coaches only) can be directed to the Journal's sports department at 1-800-397-9820, extention 4206.
Eighth-ranked (Class 3A) Sergeant Bluff-Luton entered the game against the eighth-ranked (2A) Westerners with six players batting over .300, including senior shortstop Kristen Martinson, who was at .429 with one home run, six doubles and 10 RBIs. Smith, a senior righthander who had pitched in the last two 2A state championship games, threw a three-hitter and struck out nine in a 6-1 triumph.
South O'Brien, one of the WEC's most improved teams, went down 11-0 as Smith allowed three hits and fanned eight. One night earlier, Ashton Lansink had become the first player in the South O'Brien program to hit three home runs in a single game in a 13-0 win over West Sioux.
Overall, Smith, the Sioux City Journal's Siouxland Athlete of the Week, went 5-0 last week, allowing 15 hits and just two walks while striking out 44.
"Sergeant Bluff was our main focus because it was tough for us last year against them," said Smith, a Morningside College softball recruit who entered this week's action with an 11-1 record and is 86-7 in a career that started as an eighth-grader.
"They are all good hitters and some of them are good power hitters. I had to focus on keeping it out of their zone, make them swing at pitches and go after them.
"I have a good changeup. It's not like that's a secret. That pitch was awesome that night."
"I knew we had to play to our highest potential to go 5-0 last week," said Akron-Westfield Coach Todd Colt. "Part of the reason we did it is because Kayla threw to her potential every night. We played three very good softball teams last week and we were fortunate Kayla had her 'A" game."
Focus is part of what makes Smith special.
Heading into this week, the 18-year-old daughter of Briggs and Kim Smith of Akron along with Kurt and Jeaneen Moore of Akron had a 0.42 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 66.3 innings. Opponents were hitting .146 against her.
Perhaps the most amazing statistic -- she has walked only eight batters all season.
Colt, who guided the Westerners to the 2005 Class 1A state championship and a 2A state crown one year later, said Smith has improved from the hard thrower who fanned 306 batters as a sophomore.
"She has made a big improvement in her control and the variety of pitches she throws," said Colt. "As a sophomore, she threw 3 miles per hour faster, but eventually, teams caught up to her fastball. She found that out as a junior.
"Now, she's developed into a pitcher versus just a thrower. She's good at changing her speed and changing her location.
"Her biggest strength is her willingness to be a better pitcher. She pitches about 10 months out of the year. Jessica Jones-Sitzmann (Morningside's head coach) works with her and has taught her how to keep the ball out of the middle of the plate and has worked with her on trying to paint the corners more."
"She stresses how to focus and concentrate on what your pitch is at the time," said Smith, who has worked with Jones-Sitzmann since fifth grade.
"You have to be focused on what your pitch is and where your spot is. If you hit the wrong spot, teams will crush it.
"You have to focus on your placement and how you throw it. Sometimes, you have to outsmart teams. They might know what I'm throwing, so I have to keep it low and get it past them."
Smith's catcher, classmate Shelby Johnson, also keeps her focused. The two have worked together since third grade.
Johnson, a Northwestern recruit, provides Smith with a target Colt said is wider than the average catcher. Smith almost followed Johnson to Northwestern, but felt loyalty to Jones-Sitzmann, who she says knows her as well as Johnson.
"Shelby and I know what each other is thinking because we are on the same page all the time," said Smith. "I'll be lost without her next year because I won't have this person reading my mind and knowing what I'm thinking.
"Morningside has good catchers, I know. But the way Shelby and I know each other and where we're coming from, it won't be the same."
SPECIAL MENTION
Baseball
Levi Maxfield, Sergeant Bluff-Luton: The sophomore pitcher has thrown three straight no-hitters, two which came last week. He fanned eight in a 15-0, four-inning win over Akron-Westfield, then struck out 17, including 11 of the first 12 he faced, in a 3-0 win over Spalding Catholic.
Justin Yockey, Maple Valley Anthon-Oto: The senior shortstop/pitcher threw a three-hitter and struck out six in a 2-1 win over eighth-ranked (Class 1A) Westwood. He also rapped two home runs, a double and six RBIs in an 11-4 win over Battle Creek-Ida Grove.
NOTE: Nominations (from coaches only) can be directed to the Journal's sports department at 1-800-397-9820, extention 4206.
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