ST. LOUIS – It's not often the SLU softball team has a hitter leading the league in total bases. It's even rarer when it's a freshman.
Sadie Wise certainly hasn't let her lack of experience intimidate her. After all, she's put in all the training.
“Putting in a lot of work every day has gotten me to where I am," said Wise, SLU's star freshman outfielder.
“The college game is a lot quicker than summer ball or high school ball so that was an adjustment for me," she said.
But Wise has adjusted just fine.
She is also atop the Atlantic-10 leaderboard in extra-base hits and is second in the conference in slugging (.813 as of Saturday). The school's season record is .715.
Wise broke the school record for home runs (14) earlier in the week. She hit her 15th at home against Fordham on Sunday
“To see it every day and that consistency as a freshman has been very impressive," said Christy Connoyer, SLU's head softball coach.
Connoyer noted she's never seen a freshman hit like Wise has.
“Her work ethic to be able to cover both sides of the plate has been impressive," she said. “Her hands get through the zone exceptionally well.”
In fact, Wise has played so well, she's a finalist for the Schutt Sports National Fastpich Coaches Association Division-I Freshman of the Year Award. It's the first time a freshman from SLU has made the list of 25 finalists. The final ten will be announced May 10, the final three on May 23, and the winner on May 29.
If Wise keeps sticking to her game she has a great shot at taking the award home.
“To step up and pound the ball the way she has, it doesn’t happen every day. It’s pretty special," said Connoyer.
But even with the new attention, Wise is staying humble, focused on one thing.
"The overall goal is to win the conference tournament," she said. "That would be the best thing.”
