ROCHESTER, NY — In her four seasons as a pitcher for the Swampscott girls softball team, Hannah Leahy built a reputations as one of the more feared hurlers in the Northeastern Conference.
More often than not, whenever Leahy stepped into the circle she was on her A game. And when she was on her A game, that spelled trouble for opposing teams. Leahy led the Big Blue to three deep runs in the Division 2 state tournament and was a two-time NEC Player of the Year. Now she’s on her way to a stellar career at the college level.
Earlier this week, Leahy, now pitching at Division III Rochester, was named the Liberty League softball Rookie of the Week. Although she’s a freshman, Leahy has seen no shortage of playing time in her first season with the YellowJackets. In nine appearances, Leahy has posted a 2-5 record with a 3.50 ERA in 42 innings of work. Leahy has tallied 19 strikeouts this spring.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Leahy said of her extended role on the team. “Especially with being a pitcher, I have a big impact in putting the team in a position to win. It’s a really good opportunity to be able to do that.”
Leahy and the YellowJackets got off to a slow start this season, but things seem to be moving in the right direction as the team finds its footing. Rochester dropped its first six games of the season, all in an early-season trip to Arizona. The YellowJackets grabbed their first win with a 9-5 victory over Salisbury last weekend. Leahy, a right-hander, was stellar in the circle in the win, racking up six strikeouts over seven innings.
“In Arizona we played against teams that were all ranked,” Leahy, a Swampscott native, said. “It was a good experience because now we know what to improve on so we can beat those teams later on in the year. We’ve been able to improve and it translated into a win this past weekend.”
Through 10 games, the YellowJackets are 2-8. Leahy believes the team has built a strong sense of chemistry through the early going of the season and projects that to be its strength moving forward.
“I think our chemistry is our biggest strength,” Leahy said. “We work really well together. We spend a lot of time together on and off the field. I think we’re a good team in all aspects of the game but there are areas we can improve on.”
As a freshman, Leahy has dealt with the challenges that come with making the jump from high school to college softball. What stood out to her the quickest was the abilities of opposing hitters to jump on her mistakes at the plate. While she was able to dodge a few missed spots in high school, college hitters capitalize on those chances when they see them.
“If I miss my spot, the hitters make me pay for it,” Leahy, who also played four years of varsity basketball for the Big Blue, said. “That’s something I could get away with more so in high school. The commitment’s a lot higher. Everyone that we play with and against has a great passion for the sport. That makes it a great environment to play in.”
Academics have also posed a challenge for Leahy through her first year in college.
“I think academics have been the greatest adjustment,” Leahy said. “It’s definitely tough here, just learning how to study differently. That’s been the biggest thing for me, learning how to balance everything together.”
Having pitched in a number of big games through her state tournament experiences in high school, Leahy came to Rochester well-prepared in dealing with pressure in-game situations. Leahy, who compiled a 1.90 ERA and over 400 strikeouts in high school, led the Big Blue to three straight sectional finals. She learned to approach those situations with mental toughness and carried that over to her first season at Rochester.
“There were definitely a lot of situations where there was pressure,” Leahy said. “I’ve already faced a bunch of those situations. Learning how to be mentally tough, focusing on one batter at a time, not worrying about who’s batting next, the score, or who’s on base. That was definitely really helpful.”
Leahy and the YellowJackets are back in action Wednesday when they visit St. John Fisher.
