After her sophomore season, Mia Smith began to believe the record could be hers, but it would take a lot more than showing up in the circle.
The former Penn-Trafford ace zeroed in on the all-time strikeout record at Pitt-Johnstown like she does the strike zone itself.
She painted corners and popped catchers’ gloves with regularity, getting forward and backward Ks as hitters whiffed or froze.
The Ks added up and Smith broke the record earlier in the season, before recently reaching a milestone no pitcher in the program has before: 400 career strikeouts.
She knew that number well, having finished her high school career with exactly that number of Ks.
“I had to keep my head down and keep grinding to work toward breaking that record,” Smith said. “(400 strikeouts means a lot to me. It represents continuous grit and determination throughout my years of being a Division II collegiate softball pitcher. I couldn’t have accomplished this goal without my family and former and present teammates and coaching staff.”
Smith, who took a 6-8 record and 2.66 ERA into the weekend, had a team-high 92 strikeouts and 42 walks in 84 1/3 innings.
“Mia has been the heart and soul of our pitching staff for four years,” UPJ coach Niki Cognigni-Pecora said. “Her work ethic, competitiveness and love for this program have set a standard that will be felt long after she graduates.”
The 2022 Tribune-Review Westmoreland player of the year, Smith has a career record of 28-43 in 81 appearances and is up to 415 strikeouts in 454 innings.
She finished 20-4 as a senior, striking out 203 and posting a 1.38 ERA as Penn-Trafford finished second in the state.
In four years — she began her prep career as a closer — she was 42-8 with a 1.97 ERA. She walked 92 in 274 1/3 innings.
After her senior season at Penn-Trafford, Smith said, “The best is yet to come for me.”
Finding her comfort zone as the staff ace has been critical to her development and identity at UPJ.
Even the best prep pitchers, those who can throw upwards of 65 mph and have an arsenal of pitches, are looking for the right fit at the college level.
“Academically and athletically, I have really loved my time here,” Smith said. “The professors and athletic staff are very supportive of every student-athlete and want them to succeed on and off the field. I’m very grateful for the connections that I have made here.”
Smith was a fast learner in Division II softball. She struck out 111 as a freshman, although conference opponents became a chore in her rookie season of college softball.
“The beginning of PSAC play wasn’t exactly an easy transition for me,” she said. “The toughest transition was quickly realizing that every lineup in the PSAC, top to bottom, has good hitters that aren’t afraid the swing their bat. I had to regain confidence in myself and reassure myself that my pitches are going to get hit hard, but the way I respond is what matters most. “
Smith has relied on a five-pitch collection to keep batters guessing. The selection — fastball, changeup, curveball, screwball and rise ball — has allowed her to be equally overpowering and crafty.
“My curveball has been my strikeout pitch since I’ve been in middle school, so I’ve been working on locating my curveballs for called strikes, as well as a chase pitch,” Smith said.
Leaving a mark on the program is a pipe dream to many players, especially pitchers who can juxtapose the big-fish, small-pond analogy when they get to college.
But Smith has her spot in the record book.
“I believe that I did (make a mark),” she said. “But the job isn’t finished. Our team’s goal is to make it to playoffs for the first time in program history. I believe that every one of my teammates and coaches — past and present — have supported me to get to where I am, and for that I am extremely grateful and couldn’t have asked for a better support system.”
In high school, Smith was just as dangerous with a bat in her hands and she was a ripe fastball. She always enjoyed hitting, and made sure she got her swings at UPJ. In fact, the chance to hit was a key factor in her choice of schools.
“During the recruiting process, I specifically remember asking coach Niki if she let pitchers hit, and she told me that she puts the best nine hitters in the lineup, regardless of their position,” Smith said. “So, I had to prove to her that I belong on both sides of the lineup. I definitely couldn’t give up hitting in college, and it was important to me to find a program that would let a pitcher hit.”
Smith has her future plans mapped out. After UPJ, she is going after a master’s degree.
If she dials in the way she did the strikeout mark, she will get it. And don’t rule out a coaching stint. Passing on her pitching knowledge is an aspiration.
“After this season, I am going to Carlow University for my master’s in occupational therapy starting in August,” Smith said. “During those two years, I hope to become a volunteer assistant (coach) at Carlow. The past two years I have been giving pitching and hitting lessons to the young girls in the area and hope to continue giving back to the softball community for years to come.”