By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Columbia Station, Ohio---Kailey Minarchick, a senior RHP from Columbia Station High School, has signed with the Owens Community College softball team.
This year, Minarchick finished 7-2 with 95 strikeouts and a 0.80 ERA over 61.1 innings in Patriot Athletic Conference (PAC) Stripes Division play. She tossed a perfect game with 12 strikeouts against Cornerstone Christian, and she struck out 14 in five innings against Lutheran West.
As a junior, Minarchick went 16-4 with a 1.61 ERA en route to First Team All-PAC Stripes Division, First Team All-Lorain County and Division III/IV Lorain County Player of the Year honors. In PAC Stripes Division play, she went 10-0 with 98 strikeouts over 63.3 innings pitched.
Offensively, Minarchick hit .473 with 13 doubles and 27 RBI as a junior.
"I am very happy that Kailey chose to continue her education at Owens," said Owens Community College head softball coach Marcus Smith. "She is a very good pitcher and hitter, and she will strengthen our pitching staff. She has so many accolades in her career, and I can't wait to see how it carries over to Owens."
As a sophomore, Minarchick led her team (29-5, 16-0 PAC) to the best season in school history. In a sectional championship win over Wellington, she allowed just four hits while striking out nine. In a 3-1 state semifinal win over Bishop Ready, she allowed six hits, zero earned runs and two walks with three strikeouts over seven innings.
In the state championship, her team lost 3-2 to Bloom-Carroll with Minarchick allowing four hits, three runs and two walks over six innings. In the opponent's circle, however, was University of Washington bound Taran Alvelo, who is considered the nation's best pitcher as a senior this year.
Following her sophomore season, Minarchick earned First Team All-Lorain County and Second Team All-PAC Stripes honors.
As a freshman, she earned First Team All-PAC Stripes Division honors as a utility player.
Overall, she has led her team to three consecutive PAC Stripes Division championships.
Minarchick becomes the 11th member of next year's freshmen class. She will join Michayla Barga (IF, Bradford/Bradford, Ohio) Jamie Miller (RHP, Clay/Oregon, Ohio), Olivia Myers (2B, Elmwood/Bloomdale, Ohio), Miranda Benschoter (RHP, Elmwood/Bloomdale, Ohio), Taylor Donaldson (RHP, Manton/Manton, Mich.), Brittany Brauer (Util., Manton/Manton, Mich.), Angelique Prunty (C, Elyria/Elyria, Ohio), Jessi Ducat (C, Evergreen/Lyons, Ohio), Taylor Andrews (IF, Oak Hall/Lake Butler, Fla.) and Lindsey Wiggins (1B, Bradford/Brooker, Fla.).
The Owens softball team recently completed its 2015 season with a 32-18 overall record. Along the way, the team captured Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) and Region XII District I championships. The team's season finished in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Tournament, where the team finished in the top 12 in the nation. The team captured the program's 500th win earlier in the season, as well.