By Angela Brunk
Senior pitcher Ashlyn Hamilton is ready to take the field for her final season at Derby High School. As a 12th grader, Hamilton is looking forward to competing alongside her teammates and building on the progress they made a year ago.
“I’m most excited about competing with my teammates again and seeing how much we’ve improved since last season,” Hamilton said. “We have a lot of talent and experience returning, so I’m excited to see how far we can push ourselves.”
Hamilton has stayed busy throughout the offseason to prepare for the demands of her senior year. She attends weekly pitching lessons and spends time with her club team, gaining valuable repetitions in pitching, hitting, and fielding to sharpen all aspects of her game.
While pitching remains her strength, Hamilton has made it a priority to improve at the plate. She has focused on becoming a more consistent hitter through tee work and soft toss drills, aiming to contribute more offensively and help her team generate runs.
“I want to be more consistent at the plate and work harder at helping my team by scoring more runs,” she said.
Last season, Hamilton delivered strong performances in the circle. Over 50.2 innings pitched across 14 games, she recorded 68 strikeouts and posted an impressive 2.763 earned run average, establishing herself as a reliable presence for her team.
Heading into her senior campaign, Hamilton has an individual goal to continue improving and contribute in every way possible. As a team, the focus is on competing at a high level, reaching the state tournament, and ultimately contending for a state championship.
After graduation, Hamilton plans to attend Kansas State University to study biology. Outside of softball, she enjoys playing golf, traveling, working, staying active, and spending time with friends and family.
