Q&A: George Washington softball’s Tracy Harris on leading the state in strikeouts
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]racy Harris is a sophomore. And, as of Friday morning, she sits atop softball’s leaderboard when it comes to strikeouts across all classifications.
Harris, George Washington’s ace, has 66 total strikeouts through six games against just 31 walks. She’s 4-2, and has thrown 34 innings so far this season.
Included in Harris’ totals this season is a 20-strikeout performance in an extra-inning win against Boulder to open the season on Aug. 24. Though no official state softball record book exists — yet, it is being worked on — that mark is believed to rank in the top-5 all-time in strikeout performances.
She followed that up with a 15-strikeout game against Arvada, and then struck out 12 against Adams City two games later.
Already, Harris is more than halfway to her total from her standout freshman season, when she struck out 100 batters in 80 2/3 innings.
We caught up with Harris on Thursday.
Q: What are your hopes, and your goals, for the year?
Tracy Harris: I guess I’d say I’m hoping for 150 or above in strikeouts. And I’d like to have a really good (winning percentage).
There’s a difference between us last year and this year in just playing the game. I think last year, we weren’t as confident when we were playing, so this year, I was really proud of how their confidence boosted up when they were up to bat. I just hope we can keep going and have a good season.
Q: Did you notice that difference right away in practice this season?
Harris: I’d say our first practice, yeah, there was a big difference. A lot of people were more excited about the game, and they were a different player than they were last year.
Q: I imagine that helps the whole whole team. If one person starts to feel like that, then it can kind of feed to the rest of the team.
Harris: Yeah, I think seeing one person hit and then another person hit, it’s just like a “Money see, monkey do.” It’s just like a pattern.
Q: So the Boulder game. It was the first game out. You threw 10 innings and had 20 strikeouts. Can you tell us a little bit about that game, and what it was like for you?
Harris: Well, not all games are perfect, and so we had one inning where we had a little bit of errors. But then — we were really pumped to play Boulder. I think all of us were ready to finally beat Boulder.
It was our first game of the season, so I was pretty pumped. Towards the end of the game, it was tied, I think 8-8, and we kept having extra innings and extra innings. I thought, “Well, this is a great opportunity for me to keep going.” And I felt like I could just keep doing it.
Then we scored a run — we got a great outfield hit by our shortstop and we scored and we won — but I was just surprised by myself. I don’t think last year I would’ve been able to do that.
Q: Why is that? What’s the difference?
Harris: Last year, coming in, I probably wasn’t as confident as I am this year. Last year, I was coming in as a freshman and playing all these teams and I didn’t know a single thing about them. Now, I kind of focus on how people hit — so if I they can’t handle an inside (pitch) or an outside. And that was something I couldn’t think about last year.
Q: So you’re more developed as a player.
Harris: Yeah, I just think about the game more, the tactics in the game. Like last year, I would’ve been like, “I’ve gotta get strikeout.” This year, I’m like, “I’m gonna get a strikeout.”
Q: But it hasn’t been just one game for you. Right now, you still lead the state in strikeouts. Do you think that first game set a tone for you?
Harris: Yes, because when you get off to a good start, it gives you a good feel and you know you’re going to have a better season. You just have that confidence in you.
Q: How aware are you of the fact that you are leading the state in strikeouts? Or is it not something you think about much?
Harris: Oh, I think about it a lot. (Laughs) Not like in a really crazy way, but I think about it like, “This is kind of crazy for me.” To come from one year where I ended with 100 strikeouts — that was my last out of the season — and to now be in the lead is kind of incredible for me.
The way I think about it is, “I’ve got to keep this up. I want teams to know I’m ready.” But I also think of having less walks, and it kind of freaks me out a little bit. I should not think about walking someone. When I walk a person, I think, “Alright, that has to stop.”
Q: What are you hopes for the team as far as the rest of the regular season goes?
Harris: I want my team to not be afraid that somebody will yell at them for not catching the ball. Just have the confidence that they can make this out, or they can hit the ball, that they can do it without somebody telling them. You don’t have to be worried.
Q: What about league play? What are you looking forward about the DPL this season?
Harris: I’m looking forward to playing our rivals. I’m looking forward to playing TJ and East. … It’s just kind of like a fun little rivalry we have going on. It’s just good to see them, and it’s always fun to play them.
