Anderson is acclimating well in sophomore season under new staff

Photo Courtesy of UT Athletics

Sophomore pitcher Emily Anderson (number 10 in the picture above) has sat down 278 batters in her first two seasons as a Rocket

Robert Hearons, Sports Reporter

The jump from freshman to sophomore year, for any college student, can be a monumental one in terms of self-discovery.

For University of Toledo sophomore pitcher Emily Anderson, one thing is clear from here on out: she is a heck of a pitcher with no ceiling in sight.

“This is a whole different season,” said Anderson. “We have a brand new coaching staff and I’ve worked harder than I ever have before.

“After having a year of college experience, I have a better approach.”

The hard work is paying off. Anderson leads the Rockets with a 4.34 era in 11 starts, pitching nine complete games including a shutout.

Her game has risen from her hard work and preparation, but the most important growth may have been the one within herself.

“I think one of the main things is the maturity of being a sophomore,” said Head Coach Kristen Butler. “As a freshman, it’s your first year and you don’t really know what to expect.”

College may have been an adjustment for Anderson but softball is something she has always done well.

Hailing from Goshen Ohio, and a Clermont Northeastern high school grad, Anderson is a four-time Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference (SBAAC) Player of the Year. She’s stockpiled a total of 90 wins, 10 perfect games and a school record of 1,265 strikeouts. Holding the single season school records for shutouts, strikeouts, no hitters and perfect games.

“I don’t really pay attention to my personal stats; I just come in and work as hard as I can,” she said.

Anderson’s transition to the college level was smoother than most. As a freshman she recorded 16 wins on the mound, including 226 striking outs and posting a 2.74 era in 245 innings pitched.

With two full seasons remaining for Anderson, her coaches don’t see a limit to her full potential.

“Being only a sophomore I don’t even know what her ceiling is,” Butler said. “I don’t know if she quite has one yet, she has a ton of ability and throws the ball hard. She’s such a diverse pitcher, each year we’re able to find another place to build, another pitch. Teams won’t be getting the same look from her.”

After failing to qualify for the Mid-American Conference tournament last season, Anderson and the Rockets are eyeing something bigger than any of them.

“I would say the first thing is qualifying for the MAC tournament and then win it, that’s the main goal for us,” Anderson said. “It would definitely be a disappointment if we didn’t qualify, because we put in so much hard work and we’ve worked so hard. Even if we don’t make it, we’ve made improvements as a team tremendously from last year.”

In order to achieve the goal of a MAC championship, every player from freshman to senior needs to be on the same page. Now that Anderson has been there, she makes sure she is available for her teammates.

“They have a lot to learn,” Anderson said. “They look up to all of us to help them ease their way into it, it’s a really tough transition.”

With a new staff in hand, Anderson has not let that effect the way she goes about her approach to the game.

“[Emily] has been very receptive, there has been some changes with the new pitching staff and she’s been really great about it,” Butler said. “She’s learning what I want her to learn as a new coach. Different coaches want different things from pitchers, and this year being new on staff, I’ve expected some different things from her and she’s stepped up to the challenge.”

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