Kennesaw State softball's freshman standout pitcher is off to a great start in her rookie season - and her performance at the Bama Bash reflected that of an experienced veteran.
 
Kenley Hilleary earned ASUN Pitcher of the Week honors following the first win of her collegiate career at No. 7 Alabama on Feb. 26. Hilleary only allowed four hits and three runs in the 5-3 win against the Crimson Tide. Her victory marked only the second time in history that a team from the ASUN Conference had defeated Alabama.
 
"It was just an amazing accomplishment for all of us," said Hilleary. "But we all know that it's a kickstart for us too. We don't want to stop here. We want to keep going and keep fighting."
 
Hilleary is one of five freshmen on KSU softball's 2023 roster. Pitching coach Crystal Hampton believes this class has a lot to offer the Owls as they are impressionable yet want to make an impression for their team's sake.
 
"The upperclassman set the standard in terms of their skill work and talent. They are older, stronger, and wiser," Hampton said. "The freshman class look at these attributes with wonder and expect a lot out of their leaders because of the precedence that has been set since they were being recruited by KSU."
 
"You can feel them really looking to elevate the standard and expectations of the upperclassmen," Hampton added. "They have come into the program and really held themselves to the standard that KSU softball is about."
 
Head coach Tripp MacKay and Hampton have separated her from both her team as a whole and her class based on one simple word: stoic.
 
MacKay said that he acknowledges the reality that she is a freshman. In that - she has been transparent about being nervous at times. Besides those moments of honesty, you can't tell her true emotions because she won't speak up until late in the game.
 
"Her confidence prevails, as she really has a 'been there, done that' mentality," MacKay said.
 
"You can feel the electricity on the dirt when she is out there," said Hampton. "Because she has really good presence on the mound, even when she is feeling frustrated or nervous, you would never know it watching her on the mound."
 
In addition to her stoic confidence, she adds a unique level of pitching talent to this year's staff.
 
"She is a hard thrower but can also put a lot of spin on the ball," Hampton said. "Normally, softball players master one of either of those dynamics and sacrifice the other. She has a variation where she can do both, which creates a lot of imbalances for opposing hitters in the box."
 
Both MacKay and Hampton agree that confidence mixed with her talent are the reasons why she was given the opportunity to pitch against Alabama to begin with. Their instincts were rewarded because throughout her 17 innings pitched at the Bama Bash, she had 15 strikeouts and only allowed nine hits on 302 pitches thrown.
 
Hilleary knows what she brings to her team both on and off the field. It is a team effort that requires each player's talents to shine in very specific ways. She said that her success stems from her teammates' encouragement.
 
"Off the field, I think I bring composure," said Hilleary. "I hold my composure very well. I have that confidence because I know my team is relying on me and I rely on them."
 
After picking up a win 5-0 over Georgia Southern Tuesday afternoon, Hilleary and the Owls travel to Orlando for the UCF Round Robin starting Friday, Mar. 10 against North Dakota.
 

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