By watching her, Haisley Elliott has full grasp of everything on a softball field.
One thing the Eaglecrest sophomore star didn’t know — until Sept. 15 — was proper home run etiquette, given she’d never hit one at the varsity level.
That changed against rival Cherokee Trail when she lined a pitch over the fence and then figured out how to go around the bases in a different way than she usually does.
“I just got the pitch I wanted and drilled to where I normally hit it and it went out,” Elliott said wryly about her homer, which came off Cherokee Trail ace Emma Rice, no less.
“It was my first one, so I didn’t know what to do,” she added. “I definitely rounded the bases a little bit too fast.”
For many prep softballs players, hitting a home run would be a remarkable feat. But for Elliott — a driving force behind a 13-5 start for coach Yvette Hendrian’s Raptors — it is just one of the footnotes to an absolutely remarkable season.
“Haisley’s having a year,” Hendrian said. “I’ve seen more maturity from her this year and there is even more to go. This is not my first time having a player of this caliber, so we’ll see what she can do.”
Incredibly, Elliott has been light years better than she was last season, when she joined an Eaglecrest team that was led by her older sister, Zaya, and helped it go all the way to the Class 5A semifinals before an extra-inning loss to eventual state champion Broomfield. She hit .549 with 27 RBI, while she had a 6-2 record with a 1.67 ERA on the mound. That was just an appetizer to what Elliott has done so far in her sophomore season.
All of Elliott’s considerable growing skills were on display in a home game against Cherry Creek Sept. 26.
She tossed a seven-inning perfect game in an 8-0 victory, while she also went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate — including a triple — drove in two runs, stole three bases and scored a run as well.
For a perfect game to happen, generally there are some key defensive plays that must be made and Elliott credited junior Sydney Smith for running down some difficult balls hit to the gap in right center field.
“I think I realized what I was going for in the fourth or fifth inning, so then I just had to continue to do what I was doing and trust my defense,” said Elliott, who is now 7-4 with 3.28 ERA. “Many balls did get hit to them and they came through. I just have to trust them and let them work.”
Elliott also handled a good portion herself, however, as she recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts. She also had a key defensive play in the seventh inning when one of the Bruins tried to bunt to break up the perfect game, but Elliott sprang off the mound, fielded the ball and dove headfirst into first base to beat the runner.
In the circle, Elliott said her spin and movement have increased this year, which helps to make up for speed that is less than overpowering in her words. Her style is much like her older sister, who used guile and pitch placement to win 12 games and post a 2.79 ERA a year ago before heading off to Southeast Community College.
“Haisley’s starting to throw a little harder and she has more movement,” Hendrian said. “I think she’s understanding the placement of her movement better now. We’re just having fun calling pitches when she gets to pitch.”
As well as she’s pitched — as part of a stellar tandem with junior Alyssa Vallejos, who is 5-1 with a 2.39 ERA — Elliott has hit even better.
Through games of Sept. 29, Elliott was far-and-away the leader in 5A in hitting with an eye-popping average of .684. That’s come on 39 hits (tied for the most in the classification) in 55 at-bats and contributed to a .748 on-base percentage.
And it’s not like she’s done it against inferior competition.
The Raptors have played Cherokee Trail and Legend — Nos. 1 and 2 in the Colorado High School Activities Association’s rankings — and Elliott went a combined 6-for-8 with a double, triple and a home run in those contests, though her team lost both (3-1 to the Cougars and 12-9 to the Titans).
Hendrian noted the addition of Kailey Wilson — a former Eaglecrest star slugger who went on to great success at Creighton University — as hitting coach as a help to Elliott and the entire lineup. Elliott said she has also been working with Nicole Trimboli, a former Nebraska star and professional player, which has also been a boost.
“I work best with two strikes because I’m good at battling,” Elliott said. “I don’t get too panicked when I get up there. I take a look at the defense and want to help my team out whatever way I can.”
With Elliott’s help and a number of players who return from last season’s semifinal team, Eaglecrest is on a six-game winning streak and hopes to get another chance to play Cherokee Trail in the Centennial League title game.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
