We Are Knox...

Kate Latshaw stepped up to the plate, right toe in first, followed by
the left foot. She turned her face, smudged with eye black, towards
the Monmouth College pitcher on the mound, right elbow held high
waiting for the pitch.

Latshaw had already broken the single-season home run record with her sixth. Now she was chasing the career record of 11 set by Becky Mowers '04 from 2001-04.

The first pitch crossed the plate. Strike. The second pitch floated too high. Ball. Latshaw liked the third toss and swung hard. The ball flew past third base and hit the ground in left field. Latshaw rounded first and went for second, sliding into the bag on a close throw. Out.

On the ground, Latshaw clutched her right knee. The fans in the stands began to murmur. Knox senior Emily Fenwick rushed out to second base, followed by Coach Kathy Wagoner.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Latshaw said as they helped her up. She walked off the field, limping heavily, to a round of applause from the crowd. She didn't get a home run, but she would on April 29 to end the season with nine home runs, just three away from making Knox's career record her own.

Later that night in the Gizmo, Latshaw wore a big, black brace around her outstretched right knee. She shrugged off the injury, saying the knee had bothered her for a while-she was a catcher in high school-but that she wasn't going to use crutches or be benched for any games.

Latshaw blushed a little when asked about her season of home runs.

"The pitcher throws me the right pitch, and I get lucky," she says.

But sometimes, the pressure to do well can get to her.

"It's a bit overwhelming," she says. "I know I'm supposed to hit, and I get frustrated when I don't."

Latshaw doesn't focus on getting a home run each time she steps up to the plate. To clear her mind before she bats, she uses a mantra a former coach taught her.

"I go in there thinking, ‘Trust your hands and trust your talent,'" Latshaw says. "I go into the box and a thousand things go through my head. But you can't think in there."

She gets sidetracked talking about herself. She'd rather talk about the team-a characteristic that Knox head softball coach Wagoner appreciates.

"She's not a ‘me' person," Wagoner says. "Getting home runs are fun for her, but she will bunt if I ask her to bunt. Kate really wants the team to succeed."

Wagoner adds, "It's pretty exciting to have somebody on our team who can hit the ball with her authority. It's not a fluke. She's the real deal."

Latshaw proved she was the real deal over the course of her inaugural season at Knox. She leads the team in nine offensive categories, including batting average (.457), slugging percentage (.901), hits (37), and runs (17). And don't forget about those home runs. In the Midwest Conference, Latshaw ranks second overall in batting average.

Despite all her individual success, Latshaw would rather see the team do well than hit another home run. This year, the softball team ended the season 3-29 and 0-13 in the Midwest Conference. But Latshaw is optimistic.

"Our record isn't too great, but we still play some good softball," she says.