By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

As the season began with one loss after another, David Kuhn searched for a solution.

His Delta State University softball team faced a tough schedule to open the spring, but none of his starters got the job done. So the Delta State coach gave the ball to a freshman – Sam St. Hilaire.

“Ever since then, she’s been our No. 1,” said Kuhn. “It was kind of surprise. It let us see she could go out there and pitch seven innings and do it.”

If it was a surprise to Kuhn, it was a complete shock for the former Leavitt ace. She made the most of her first start. She no-hit Southern Illinois in a 2-0 win, after the Statesmen had gone 0-8 with four other starters.

“I definitely didn’t expect it at all,” said St. Hilaire. “I just thought I’d be a relief pitcher. It was a sudden change. It was a bit of an adjustment because there was a lot more pressure on me now.”

Since then St. Hilaire has been Delta State’s top hurler. She’s gone 19-6 entering last weekend, with more wins than the rest of the staff combined. She boasts a 2.49 earned run average while striking out 90. She was named the Gulf South Conference Pitcher of the Week twice.

“I didn’t expect to be pitching as much as I am, but it’s exciting,” she said

Last year’s Miss Maine Softball expected to see limited action on the mound but nothing like 26 starts and 31 appearances.

“My expectations coming in wasn’t pitching,” said St. Hilaire, who is also averaging .333 at the plate, fourth on the squad. “I expected to play the outfield more and be more of a relief pitcher. Then somehow it ended up the way it is. I’m very happy with that.”

St. Hilaire got an introduction to the team and the culture in Cleveland, Miss., during the fall softball season. It was a significant change for her, but by spring she was feeling comfortable with her surroundings.

“It was a culture shock to be here,” she said. “I was so far from home. I definitely had to get used to it.”

She says softball is 75 percent of her life down there. When not practicing for hours each day, they’re playing games on the weekends. She says she sees great improvement in her pitching, thanks in part to the intense training regiment that has made her stronger.

“They put us through a really hard time in the fall,” said St. Hilaire. “I think it really prepared us for the spring season.”

St. Hilaire admits playing at the Division II level looked daunting at first, but she liked the opportunity to prove herself.

“I was scared at first and not sure I was able to compete at this level,” said St. Hilaire. “It’s definitely a different level, but I like it because I like the challenge. I just thought it was going to be fun. I always like the challenges more.”

Kuhn had moderate expectations for St. Hilaire. He had penciled her in to compete for a starting job in the outfield and pitch on occasion.

“Pitching-wise, she exceeded all my expectations,” said Kuhn. “I looked to her to be a middle reliever and closer. She’s done a great job. She’s exceeded my expectations ten-fold.”

During Delta State’s 0-8 start, St. Hilaire pitched in four games, a combined nine innings of relief. She allowed seven runs and 12 hits during those appearances. Her longest stint was four innings, allowing six hits and four runs, after the starter was chased in the first inning against Alabama-Huntsville.

Though St. Hilaire doesn’t possess blazing velocity, her success has come from being around the plate consistently.

“She’s got great control,” said Kuhn. “Pitching is a lot like hunting. It’s location, location, location. She has great control and great location of her pitches. She has a great demeanor. She never shows her emotions. She’s just awesome.”

Becoming the staff’s ace in an instant makes for a tough scenario for a freshman, but Kuhn says he’s had little concern.

“She has handled it just like a senior has,” said Kuhn. “She’s what we want. She’s very talented, and she’s very smart. She’s determined and hard working. She’s been tremendous.”

The Statesmen (35-23 and 20-5 in the GSC) have won the GSC Western Division Championship for the first time since 1998 and are hoping their resurgence can lead to playoff success in the coming weeks. After her unexpected success as a freshman, the future seasons are even more promising for St. Hilaire.

“My philosophy is you’ve got to improve every year,” said Kuhn. “Sam’s got a ton of potential to improve and get even stronger. The ceiling on her is up very high.”