Freshman pitcher Amanda Herr was named Atlantic 10 Softball Pitcher of the Week after starting the season 2-0 with an 1.91 ERA, only allowing two earned runs over the course of her starts.
Herr is also a member of the St. Joe’s dance team and takes what she has learned on the dance floor and applies it to the mound.
“It was definitely a great experience,” Herr said. “It helped me a lot with softball, because dancing requires rhythm and balance, and pitching uses both those things, so the two play hand-in-hand.”
Senior pitcher Ashley Ventura credited Herr’s personality to the strong debut.
“She’s got the fire, drive and work ethic to win,” Ventura said. “She listens and asks questions to the upperclassman and tries to get better every day.”
Ventura thinks Herr’s debut performance is something the team can look to build upon going forward.
“She’s been doing a great job,” Ventura said. “I’m really proud of her and what she’s accomplished, and hopefully she can help bring more success to this team.”
As a freshman, Herr attributed her immediate success to the effort she has put forth over the course of her softball career.
“When I played in high school, I focused on hitting my spots well,” Herr said. “Practicing hitting the corners, keeping the ball low, and mixing up speeds really helped me coming into college.”
By combining veteran experience and new talent, Ventura said she is excited for what this season could have in store for the team.
“Between [Herr] and our pitching staff, if we keep bringing it, we could really be successful this season,” Ventura said.
Herr said she is concentrated on finding her specific niche on the team.
“I just want to be a team player,” Herr said. “I am not going to be able to win a game by myself, so everyone coming and working together is where we are going to find our strength.”
Head Coach Erin Brooks echoed Herr’s thoughts on creating a cohesive unit.
“Every day we are looking to figure out how to continue to come together as a team,” Brooks said. “I think we saw it [at the Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Classic] and we are just trying to figure out how to do that every day.”
Brooks said Herr’s early success is a result of her level-headed mentality.
“Amanda’s very stable in her approach and demeanor,” Brooks said. “Every day she’s very consistent, and I think that’s very helpful for the [team] with this being her first year around here. The upperclassmen and her teammates can look to her and rely on her, knowing what they are going to get every time.”
Brooks also said that Herr’s skill set, which extends far beyond her short collegiate experience so far, sets her pitching apart on the team.
“She has amazing command of her pitches,” Brooks said. “It’s something you definitely see more in a veteran pitcher rather than a first-year pitcher.”
Going forward, Herr said she is simply looking to her hit her spots and put her teammates in the best position to succeed.
“My goal is to continue to keep my pitches low,” Herr said. “It’s going to cause batters to hit ground balls instead of home runs and give my team the best chance possible to make a play on hits.”
