Shortstop Hailey Cripe has been the face and heartbeat of the Kansas softball team for most of her time in Lawrence.
So, it hasn’t been unusual for her to put up big numbers and draw lots of attention.
But would you believe that a freshman — a sweet, soft-spoken, kind-hearted freshman — has been at least partly responsible for Cripe’s career-year this season.
On top of that, the Jayhawks, led by the power numbers put up by Cripe and freshman Ella Boyer, have turned in by far their best season under head coach Jennifer McFalls and are very much alive to play in the postseason.
Boyer, who broke the KU freshman home run record by hitting her 17th dinger of the season on April 4 — she’s now just 6 away from the all-time school record — credits a lot of her success this season to the KU upperclassmen who have made her and the other rookies feel right at home.
“These seniors are the best of the best,” Boyer said last week.
"... With Ella, it’s 'This person’s here to make me better and I’m either gonna ride the wave with her or I’m going to get left behind.'"
— KU senior Hailey Cripe on fantastic freshman Ella Boyer
But it’s Cripe, the veteran, who wanted to credit Boyer for pushing her and the rest of KU’s upperclassmen, both on game days and during practices and workouts.
Cripe said she and Boyer have had a who-can-hit-the-ball-the-farthest competition that takes place just about every day at practice.
“It’s definitely Ella,” the KU senior said with a laugh. “Definitely Ella.”
But Cripe’s desire to try to keep up with the newcomer’s power production has led to some really, really good things for her, as well.
She’s topped her career mark in home runs by five, with 15 to date — Cripe and Boyer have combined for 32 of the Jayhawks' school-record 78 home runs to date — and also has surpassed her single-season career-high in RBIs by a dozen, with 46 and counting.
She’s also hitting for a better average than at any point in her Kansas career, with a .365 average entering the weekend.
“No (ruthless) competition there,” Cripe said of Boyer’s impact on her and the rest of the team. “It’s all healthy work and understanding that the freshmen come in to push the upperclassmen. A lot of times, I think that’s a negative view of, ‘This person’s here to take my spot.’ But, with Ella, it’s ‘This person’s here to make me better and I’m either gonna ride the wave with her or I’m going to get left behind.’”
One of the things that both Cripe and McFalls said stood out the most about Boyer is how consistent she has been. It’s not just extra work some days and taking it easy others. Instead, she consistently comes to practice determined to get better and to do everything in her power to make sure it happens.
“Having her around has been great for me,” Cripe said of Boyer. “It doesn't matter freshman, sophomore, junior, senior; it matters on compete factor and dedication, and that's something that she brings to the table every day, showing up so early and pushing me to be there early, too.”
There certainly have been other reasons that McFalls’ Jayhawks have won 33 games to date and are gunning for more in the weeks to come.
They’ve gotten strong efforts from a variety of players in the pitcher’s circle, including a couple of key freshmen, and they’ve received steady play from a handful of other veterans, as well. Regulars Anna Soles, Aynslee Linduff, Presley Limbaugh, Campbell Bagshaw and a few others have been the most consistent among them.
But the we’re-all-the-same dynamic that exists between Cripe and Boyer, and what that has led to on the stat sheet and the scoreboard, best sums up how and why this team has broken through this season.
“I think there's been just a different buy-in of what we've gotten from our players and our leadership,” McFalls said. “And it's just really been fun to watch.”
No jealousy. No wait-your-turn talk. No competing to fill certain roles. Just a group of players battling to win, day in and day out, with a freshman taking up most of the attention.
“Who doesn’t (want to) talk about Ella Boyer, to be honest,” Cripe bragged. “Her season has been incredible. She’s a one-of-a-kind human being, has a big heart, loves hard and the joy that she has for her teammates makes it so easy for her to just be good at what she does.”
Added senior pitcher Lizzy Ludwig: “She takes everything to heart, whether that be a new critique or just something funny in the bullpen. She’s definitely been that piece that we’re so grateful to have.”
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