Pitcher Izzy Kelly also leads Eustace girls at plate

An opportunity arose for Izzy Kelly this season with the Bishop Eustace softball team, and she has taken advantage of it.

With pitcher Rachael Romer graduating in 2015, Kelly knew her role on the mound would expand, and the sophomore has emerged as the go-to hurler, according to coach Kat Dreitlein.

"She's doing a great job for us on the mound, plus she's having great at-bats. She's getting on base, helping herself out," Dreitlein said. "What else could you really ask for?"

Kelly provides Bishop Eustace (9-3) a threat both at the plate and some 40 or so feet away from it. She already has surpassed her at-bats and innings-pitched totals from her freshman year, with her offensive and pitching statistics following suit.

Her .394 average is best on the team and her 13 hits (11 in all of 2015) is second.

Compared with 68 strikeouts in 51 innings last season, Kelly already has 89 Ks in just five more innings. She has noticed improvements in the speed and movement of her pitches.

"Since I didn't see much time last year it gave me a reason to work harder so I could get more time this year," Kelly said. "I try my best to put in the same amount of time into pitching as into practicing hitting because it's important to be an all-around good player."

She doesn't look imposing in the pitching circle. That's something the sophomore recognizes but isn't hindered by, as evidenced by her 6-1 record in nine starts.

"I've had to be mentally tough. I know my outside appearance doesn't look very intimidating but I think I have a good head, I don't really get rattled," said Kelly, who has recorded double digits in strikeouts in each of her last seven starts.

Some of those high-strikeout performances have come against top Olympic Conference teams over the first month.

She led the Crusaders past fellow National Division club Paul VI in early April, turning away 12 batters and going the distance in a 7-0 win. The victory ended the program's recent skid against the Eagles, which included seven straight losses over the last three seasons.

On Saturday, Kelly notched just as many strikeouts and allowed only two hits, also picking up a big RBI as Bishop Eustace defeated American Division foe Washington Township, 2-1, in the first round of the Hammonton Invitational Tournament.

Dreitlein said the tournament will help her team get ready for states. The tourney semifinals are this weekend.

"So we're still in the middle of our season, but I expect us to make a nice run at states," she said. "That was to get us prepared for what we'll see and be up against."

The last time the Crusaders were state champions was 1998, winning the conference and South Jersey finals to get there.

Bishop Eustace has not been a conference champion since then and has not been a South Jersey champion since 1999.

Kelly thinks this group has a lot of confidence.

"Coach Kat has said this is one of the best teams she's had. I think we've really grown and we're really close," Kelly said. "We're a really strong team this year and I'm really confident in every single player."