NEW CONCORD − If there was any fear that Kendall Snider would fall victim to the dreaded “sophomore jinx,” she just didn’t dispel it, she shattered it with a devastating rise ball and a team-high seven home runs.
After a freshman campaign that introduced her as a promising arm in the pitching circle, the John Glenn standout has evolved into a full-blown dual-threat nightmare for the rest of the Muskingum Valley League.
Jinx? What jinx? Snider becomes elite in Year 2
Leading the 22-3 Muskies with a veteran’s poise and a video-game stat line, Snider has transformed from a primary ace pitcher who could hit into a legitimate offensive weapon. While her freshman year featured a solid .242 batting average and zero home runs, her sophomore encore has seen that average skyrocket to a robust .436, punctuated by a blistering .836 slugging percentage and 19 RBIs.
That individual dominance recently translated into team hardware. With a 7-0 victory over River View on May 5, John Glenn officially secured the MVL Big School Division title, finishing the league slate with a dominant 15-2 league record.
For first-year John Glenn head coach Kyle Porter, the statistical jump was less of a surprise and more of an inevitability.
“My initial assessment of Kendall was she can be as good as she wants to be,” Porter said. “I have coached or watched Kendall play softball and soccer for several years. She makes most of it look easy. No, she hasn’t exceeded my expectations; her work ethic and determination to be the best is second to none.”
Kendall Snider’s secret to the surge
When asked about the “sophomore slump,” Snider admitted the pressure was there, but the preparation was stronger.
“I did feel a lot of pressure coming into the season,” Snider admitted. “But I knew I put in a lot of hard work in the offseason, so I felt prepared.”
That preparation was a three-pronged process. In addition to to facing elite pitchers at a live hitting league at Field of Dreams in Lancaster every Thursday, Snider committed to regular sessions with a personal pitching coach and a disciplined new regimen in the weight room.
“Honestly, I just took my focus off hitting for a bit,” she said. “I feel more relaxed at the plate this year and I try to not think as much…the live reps helped me build my confidence in the offseason.”
Power in the circle, punch at the plate
While her offensive explosion has grabbed headlines − including her team-leading seven homers − it is her work in the circle that has truly reached an elite level. Snider has parlayed her rookie success into a sterling 14-1 mark with a microscopic 0.77 ERA and 233 strikeouts in just 109 innings pitched.
“I would say, I’m more of a pitcher who hits,” Snider said. “Pitching is definitely my number one, and hitting is just an added bonus for me. I do love to hit though to help my team.”
Porter pointed to his talented sophomore’s maturity as being a real asset to her success.
“Kendall is very mature for her age: she plays and attacks the game like a seasoned veteran,” Porter noted. “She’s very poised and doesn’t allow anything to get to her.”
Trusting the process
A key part of the dominance? The freedom to call her own game. Under Porter, the sophomore has been given over her craft.
“The coaching staff this year is allowing the catcher and I to call pitches which makes me more comfortable when I’m able to throw what I want in certain situations,” Snider said. “It relives a lot of pressure when you have a great offense that is producing … but I feel like I’m always pitching aggressive no matter how many runs are on the board.”
Chasing titles with grit
For Snider and the Muskies, the MVL Big School title was only the beginning of their preseason checklist.
“We wanted to be MVL champs and at least district champs … and we have already accomplished one of those with the MVL title,” Snider said. “I also set some personal goals of hitting certain milestones this season. I feel our biggest strength of our team is just our grit. We don’t quit because we are down by so many runs. What we do is just push each other even harder to win.”
That grit was on full display in a recent statement win over Strasburg, the state’s all-time leader with 10 state championship. With the 2-1 win pushing the Muskies record to 22-3, Snider racked up 16 strikeouts in the complete game win and knows the key to a deep run into the districts and beyond isn’t overthinking the bracket.
“I think we just need to take one game at a time and not get ahead of ourselves,” Snider said. “We are playing for each other and will continue to pick each other up if someone makes a mistake. We just need to leave it all on the field every game and play to the best of our abilities.”
While a 22-3 start is a dream for any coach, Porter is quick to credit the dugout and the program’s culture.
“It doesn’t have much to do with me,” Porter said. “These girls have put in all the hard work to get us here. Their work ethic, love for the game and bond for each other have carried us to this phenomenal start.”
Eyes on the OHSAA tournament
As the Muskies prepare for the OHSSA tournament, Porter isn’t worried about his young team getting ahead of themselves.
“This team is led by six great seniors,” Porter emphasized. “Yes, we appear young, but we play much older than we are. The program as a whole is in a great place − our JV team went 18-2 this year. The expectation to be great is what drives this team.”
For Snider, the key to a deep run into the districts and beyond is keeping the focus local.
“I think we just need to take it one game at a time and not get ahead of ourselves,” Snider said. “We are playing for each other and will continue to pick each other up if someone makes a mistake. We just need to leave it all on the field every game and play to the best of our abilities.”
Whether she’s silencing bats for the circle or clearing fences from the plate, it is clear that Snider’s “sophomore surge” is no fluke − it’s a warning shot to the rest of the state. With two years of high school eligibility still in front of her, the record books are officially on notice: Kendall Snider isn’t just a rising star in the MVL, she’s a force of nature who is just getting started.
KSutton1@gannett.com; X: @KSuttonDJSports; Instagram: kevinsutton_dailyjeffsports
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: John Glenn’s Snider shatters sophomore jinx with elite two-way play
Reporting by Kevin Sutton, Cambridge Daily Jeffersonian / The Daily Jeffersonian
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
