Bailey Schafbuch | Sports Co-Editor
Photo courtesy of Steven Phelps
Senior Buena Vista University (BVU) varsity softball player, Hannah Baker, helped lead the Beavers to a 3-3 start on the season after coming back from a major knee injury the previous season.
A native from Bondurant, IA, Baker hit the softball diamond in the second grade after wanting to copy her older brother who played baseball. Though her parents helped start her career, Baker kept with it because of her love for the game. Throughout her many years, she played many positions ranging from pitcher, to third base, to her home position now, catcher.
As a catcher, Baker is the eyes of the field. She has many responsibilities as catcher such as working very closely with the pitchers, calling pitches, yelling cut offs, and telling people where to throw the ball.
Similar to this year’s responsibilities, Baker had certain jobs she completed to help the team last season despite her injury. In addition to continuing to support the team, Baker continued to recover and has fully bounced back this season despite others’ speculations of her college career being over.
“My senior year of high school, I couldn’t play basketball because I hurt my back. I decided then that if I ever got hurt again I’d work my tail off because I wanted to play. It was really difficult last year to not be able to do anything, but I’m back playing now,” Baker said.
Head Softball Coach Heather Hupke appreciated Baker’s commitment and leadership to the team during her recovery.
“Last year, she tore her ACL, MCL and PCL. She still stuck with it; she could have walked away and said she was done. She was very positive through all of that. That has made a difference for her. She won’t come back for a fifth year so I think she sees the urgency of this year,” Hupke said.
In addition to Hupke’s praise on Baker’s perseverance, she revealed that Baker has what it takes to be a leader in the program. Baker is on the leadership council and shows her skill of being inclusive, rather than being a dictator. Hupke also stressed the importance of attitude and effort in the BVU softball program.
“She has that attitude of wanting to work with the team. We talk a lot about we and not I, she does that. That was evident this weekend. Her attitude and effort are two things that really stick out to me,” Hupke said.
Hupke isn’t the only one who sees Baker as a positive force on the team, though.
“She brings out the positive aspects of our team. There are times we could have gotten down this past weekend, but she did a great job of picking everyone up. She’s the person in the dugout who is saying ‘you’re fine; we can do this.’ Everything she does you can tell that she has passion for and I really respect that,” former sophomore teammate Britney Hansen said.
Baker’s favorite part of the game is the feeling of working as a teammate of seven or eight other girls. She also enjoys doing the little things right, which leads to overall success.
Support Baker and the rest of the Beaver softball team as they take on Northwestern College Mar. 14 and Mar. 15 in Orange City.
