OFF THE HOOK
Crown Point grad Miranda Elish stars at Texas after transfer from Oregon
Miranda Elish has never shied away from setting a high bar.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to describe Elish, a 2016 Crown Point graduate and a junior pitcher starring for the University of Texas, as a perfectionist.
That type of approach has contributed to the heights Elish has reached.
It also would help explain the understated perspective she has on her debut season with the Longhorns after transferring from Oregon.
“I’ve grown a lot, but I wish I would’ve done better so far,” Elish said before the Big 12 Championship began Friday. “I want to be a major contributor offensively and defensively for my team, and I just feel like I could’ve done better in different aspects.
“I constantly want to keep getting better, especially at this level when teams are as good as they are.”
Elish has continued to perform at an elite level, which has included being a first team allconference selection.
She has a 14-9 record with a 1.92 ERA and three saves entering Saturday’s action. She has 191 strikeouts and 45 walks in 149 2/3 innings. She also has made an impact by batting .322 with six homers and 25 RBIs.
Likewise, Elish has been instrumental in Texas’ success.
The Longhorns (41-14, 12-6) are ranked No. 8 in the USA Today coaches poll. They finished third in the conference and have eclipsed 40 wins for the first time since 2013, when they last made the College World Series.
“We’re doing really well, and we’re working really hard to get to where we need to be,” Elish said. “We just want to peak in the postseason.
“Our goal is the same as any team over the next three weeks — win a national championship. We just have to fire on all cylinders. We have to minimize mistakes and bring our best to the field every day.”
Elish made the World Series in both seasons at Oregon, including last season when the Ducks were the NCAA Tournament’s top overall seed and won the Pac-12.
She was a second team AllAmerican, a top 25 finalist for national player of the year and a first team all-conference choice as a sophomore.
Elish went 25-2 with a 1.20 ERA and two saves. Those numbers included pitching Oregon’s first seven-inning perfect game, a 3-0 win with 16 strikeouts on April 3, 2018 against Portland State.
As a freshman, she went 12-0 with a 1.79 ERA and one save.
In October, Elish announced she was transferring to Texas. In June, Mike White departed to take over the Longhorns after nine seasons as Oregon’s coach.
Elish, the nation’s No. 1 recruit coming out of high school, committed to Oregon as a freshman in September 2012.
Her decision came before she even had thrown a pitch in a Crown Point career that eventually included winning Miss Softball as a senior and Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year three times.
“I went to college to play for coach White and I wanted to finish college playing for coach White,” Elish said. “Once coach White left Oregon, it wasn’t the same for me. It was my time to leave. I just wanted to keep growing under coach White.”
Among the transfers from Oregon, three others in addition to Elish landed at Texas with White, who brought two assistants from the Ducks.
It has been a smooth transition for Elish, whose sister Madi is an Arizona commit excelling for Crown Point as a sophomore pitcher.
“The girls here have been great accepting us,” Elish said. “The staff and the support staff are amazing. School is more challenging, but I like challenges. It’s been a really good change.”