Kiran Sanford and her 6 no-hitters a 'highlight' for top-ranked Mishicot softball

MISHICOT — If you mix a bit of Nuke LaLoosh from ‘Bull Durham’ with ‘A league of their own’ , you get Mishicot softball pitcher Kiran Sanford.

The junior and LaLoosh are hard throwing pitchers, Sanford can reach 62 miles per hour, and share a statistical pedigree.

Sanford has thrown six no hitters or perfect games this season in her 14 starts, so almost half the time she steps in the circle nobody is going to get a hit.

Last week against Reedsville, Sanford threw five perfect innings and struck out all 15 batters she faced.

“I just expect to go in there and shut (the opposition) down,” Sanford said. “I know I can do it. I’ve shut down really good teams.”

Another trait Sanford shares with the LaLoosh character though is just learning perfection isn’t always attainable. That’s something Mishicot coach Dawn Shimek is trying to teach the young hurler.

“I told her she has to be realistic, every game isn’t going to be a no-hitter,” Shimek said. “I’m proud of her that she expects that of herself though.”

One such example came in an 8-2 win over rival Random Lake on Monday, where Sanford threw six perfect innings but then surrendered two runs on three hits in the final frame.

“When she lost the no-hitter she got frustrated and got mad, unraveled a bit,” Shimek said.

Mishicot, which leads the state in wins and is ranked No. 1 in Division 3 according to the Wisconsin Softball Coaches Association, is going to lean on Sanford for the postseason after splitting the pitching duties for the regular season between Sanford and last year’s ace, senior Cora Stodola.

“She can pitch the ball 61 or 62, that’s a big deal,” Shimek said. “Teams have a hard time hitting her. I’ve just seen teams struggle hitting her more than Cora.”

Shimek added putting Sanford in the circle allows Stodola to move to second base, where she played as a freshman and sophomore, and Baylie Carrico to play left field which is also her natural position.

“Our whole team is better off,” Shimek said. “(Sanford’s) been a highlight for us.”

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As strong as Sanford has been this season, 144 strikeouts compared to just 10 walks in 77 innings through Monday, its like a light switch flipped on from where she was last season.

Sanford pitched 16 1/3 innings and allowed 15 hits, 10 runs and issued six walks but really dedicated herself in the offseason, including getting outside pitching instruction.

“I worked really hard in the offseason, did what I know I could do and went out there and trusted all my pitches,” Sanford said. “It’s showing off and its working. Glad I could prove it.”

Shimek has seen the difference.

“She just gained confidence in herself,” Shimek said. “She got a pitching coach. She wanted to prove to herself and to me that she belongs in that circle.”

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A little bit of LaLoosh’s intensity creeps out when Sanford was asked about her ability to avoid walking batters.

“I don’t like free passes,” Sanford said with a look of disgust at the mere mention of the word walk. “I hate walking people, its my biggest pet peeve as a pitcher. I hate it. I don’t give free passes.”

And while Sanford expects perfection from herself, she understands nothing is possible without help.

Sanford even has her own Crash Davis, the experienced minor league catcher who took LaLoosh under his wing, in fellow junior Kasey Brouchoud.

Brouchoud catches for Sanford year round and the pair trust each other, like Sanford trusts all her teammates.

“We work really hard in practice and I have a defense behind me which saves a lot of hits, a lot of runs,” Sanford said. “It’s all because of them.”

With Sanford in the circle and eight teammates backing her up, there’s a strong chance Mishicot might keep being perfect.

Or at least unhittable.

Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com . Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck .

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Kiran Sanford and her 6 no-hitters a 'highlight' for top-ranked Mishicot softball