Speed. Control. Spin.
The three components that make up an elite pitcher. What do opposing coaches think of some of the top high school softball pitchers around Tuscarawas County?
“We have stressed to our players how important the on-deck circle is,” Sandy Valley’s head coach Cortney Geiger said. “This is where you can dial in your reps, making sure you’re going to be prepared when you step into the box.”
Tuscarawas Valley’s head coach Staci Martin echoed a similar message for her team.
“Preparation is what matters most,” she said. “In the past we’ve struggled with making adjustments, and this year we’ve seen a lot of communication between our girls as we getting ready to bat.”
The key, Tuscarawas Central Catholic’s head coach Kelly Hysong said, is recognizing movement.
“Just because the ball looks like it’s going to be a strike, doesn’t mean that’s where it’s going to finish,” she said. “So, getting our girls starting to have pitch recognition has been a learning curve, but something we have improved on.”
We asked six coaches about five pitchers and what makes them difficult to face and plan against. This is what they had to say.
Kara Lint, Dover
The Ohio University commit has had a dominating 2026 season, racking up 106 strikeouts over 44.2 innings while only allowing 25 of 155 batters to reach base as of May 1.
“She has amazing control and speed,” Strasburg-Franklin’s head coach Tom Spidell said. “She is able to command a strike zone and have a lot of spin on her pitches that make contact a hard thing to come by.”
Brennen Reichman, Tuscarawas Valley
Reichman, who is committed to play at Ohio State, has seen her ERA drop each year from 2.39 her freshman season, 1.38 her sophomore season to 0.16 her junior season. She has notched 10 or more strikeouts in every start this season.
“You can see the amount of work she has put in over her offseasons,” Hysong said. “Her speed is what makes her stand out and shows how important offseason work is.”
Maddison Kelley, Conotton Valley
Through 68 innings pitched this season, Kelley has raked up 115 strikeouts, a 1.34 ERA and 7-3 record. She is committed to play softball at Valparaiso University.
“We’ve played against her quite a bit,” Spidell said. “So, we’ve gotten a little more comfortable facing her, but it can be hard to prepare for someone who throws the ball that hard with control.”
Audrey Miller, Garaway
The junior pitcher has tossed 40.1 innings this season, striking out 44 batters. She has pitched four scoreless outings as of May 1.
“She is able to create a lot of movement on her pitches,” Martin said. “That can cause a lot of problems for a line up. Since it can become a guessing game on where a pitch is going to finish.”
Miley Reifenschneider, Strasburg-Franklin
After a sophomore season where Reifenschneider appeared in six games and had an 8.62 ERA, she has since appeared in 32 games with an ERA of 1.7. During her senior season, she has totaled 112 strikeouts and allowed 49 hits over 75.2 innings.
“She’s a powerful pitcher that is going to hit her spots,” Dover head coach Hannah Duff said. “She’s going to challenge batters with speed and movement on her pitches.”
“Miley has the experience and then the plus of being apart Strasburg softball,” Hysong added. “She’s worked very hard, and you can see the effort she’s put into the game pay off.”
The key to having success against top pitchers is easier said than done. Making contact is essential.
“You have to keep your strikeouts to under 10,” Spidell said. “You want to put the ball in play and make someone else get the out. When you start getting up in strikeouts the opposing team is having to make three or four plays.”
“You have to put the ball in play,” Garaway head coach Dennis Koshmider added. “That is something we focus on; anything can happen once that ball is hit. It’s too easy of an out for the pitcher to record a strikeout.”
Success comes from preparation, communication and the willingness to put the ball into play.
“You have to make the defenses play,” Koshmider said. “There are times when teams have a defense that hasn’t been tested, so when we get into the box you have to do what you can to make the other team make plays.”
Jshondel@usatodayco.com; X: @JacoBShondeL
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Tuscarawas County softball coaches break down the top pitchers
Reporting by Jacob Shondel, The Times-Reporter / The Times-Reporter
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
