SMA senior Kendall Young reaches 500 strikeout milestone

Foul, ball one, strike two swinging, foul, ball two, ball three, another foul – that is how the count went as St. Marys Area Lady Dutch senior pitcher faced off against DuBois Central Catholic junior Lydia Morgan in the top of the third inning on Wednesday afternoon at the St. Marys Area High School softball field. With her next pitch, Young got Morgan to strike out swinging, and her teammates, family, friends, and supporters erupted in cheers as she officially recorded the 500th strikeout of her high school softball career.

Making the accomplishment especially impressive was the fact that Young did not get to have a freshman season as there were no spring sports that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IUP-commit has been on a roll since taking over in the circle for the Lady Dutch her sophomore year, often recording double digit strikeouts in games – which she did on Wednesday as she struck out 10 of DCC’s batters.

“It’s something I’ve been working towards all season,” Young said of hitting the milestone. “I knew I was close, so it just feels good to finally get it. I couldn’t do it without the support of my teammates and coaches.”

The milestone strikeout was actually Young’s fifth of the game. As she got closer and closer to the 500-strikeout mark, her teammates held up homemade signs in the dugout reflecting her current strikeout total.

“They actually started doing it last game,” Young said of the countdown signs. “I was only limited to two innings pitching, so I wasn’t going to get it that last game, but it definitely motivated me more.”

Making the experience extra memorable was the fact that it happened on St. Marys Area’s Senior Night.

“It would have been cool to get it against Johnsonburg, but getting it at home and on Senior Night was pretty cool,” Young said.

Young expressed her gratitude to her teammates, coaches, and family for all of their support as she chased the milestone.

The Lady Dutch won Wednesday’s game by a score of 9-2.

Photos by Becky Polaski SMA senior pitcher Kendall Young entered Wednesday’s game needing five strikeouts to reach 500 for her career. As she approached the milestone, her teammates held up signs showing her strikeout total, and then they displayed special signs commemorating the occasion when she reached the milestone in the top of the third inning.

Photo by Becky Polaski Lady Dutch head coach Matt Eckels presents senior pitcher Kendall Young with the ball she used to record her 500th career strikeout in the top of the third inning of Wednesday’s game against DCC.

Photo by Becky Polaski Members of the St. Marys Area Lady Dutch congratulate Kendall Young after she recorded the 500th strikeout of her high school career in the top of the third inning of Wednesday’s game.