Baker Wildcats senior pitcher Kira Baker has been named not only the Heart of America Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week but also the NAIA National Softball Pitcher of the Week. This recognition comes after Baker threw a no-hitter against eleventh-ranked Midland in a 2-0 victory. The senior pitcher totaled six strikeouts and only allowed three walks after pitching the whole seven innings.
Baker has now thrown seven no-hitters in her career and is making a case to be one of the best pitchers in Baker Softball history. These dominant performances seem like nothing for Baker, but they are a result of consistency and hard work for many years.
Baker is no stranger to putting in work. Her wanting to constantly get better and develop over the past four years has been one of the biggest attributes of her pitching. When describing Baker, Head Coach Tony Austin said, “She’s a dog. She competes not only in games but at practice too. She’s a true competitor for sure.”
Being a competitor has helped Baker stay dominant over the years. Austin thinks that her competitiveness and willingness to adjust have helped her stay as a top pitcher in all of NAIA. Batters will get familiar with Baker and her pitches after facing her multiple times, but they seem to never figure her out because of her dedication to the sport. Understanding the position has also helped Baker excel when pitching.
Baker describes pitching as “not just throwing a ball.” She says there are many different aspects to it such as understanding pitch counts and analyzing the swings of batters. Baker’s commitment to softball is like no other, but she couldn’t do it without her teammates.
A great team bond can be a key to success for any team. One of the most important factors for the Wildcats softball team is that they are so close. This bond helps the players stay with each other through tough times and instills a great sense of trust. When talking about her teammates, Baker said, “I play softball for my teammates. They’re the ones that make [softball] fun and I couldn’t do it without them.”
The team has built a culture of playing for each other rather than for themselves. Even with a rebuilt roster, the team has been able to keep this culture alive, which has led them to success over the past couple of years. The team has its standards set high, and this year is no exception.
There is one goal set in stone for the team: make it to the NAIA Softball World Series. After reaching the NAIA National Opening Round in the past two years, the team is coming back for revenge this season. Being just one game shy of the World Series in 2024 and 2025 has left a bitter taste in the team’s mouth. The 2023 season saw the Wildcats make the World Series for the first time in program history, but they lost their first two games. Veteran leaders such as Baker are looking to lead the team to their best finish in the World Series in program history and are trying to win a national championship.
