Fortunately for the Mercer County Community College softball team, Kaitlin Stahlbrand is not a good listener, at least when it comes down to what fate has to say. Fate seemed intent on telling Stahlbrand she was not destined to play college softball.
Stahlbrand came out of Robbinsville High School in relative obscurity, which is tough to do in such a high-profile program. After being the only pitcher on the JV team as a freshman, she tore her left ACL as a sophomore, got very little playing time as a junior and had to work feverishly just to gain a spot as a designated hitter as a senior.
She had still shown enough in travel ball and high school to be recruited by William Paterson. But while playing travel in July before entering college, Stahlbrand tore her left meniscus and was told she would miss her entire freshman season.
Without softball to occupy her time, certain things she disliked about William Paterson away from the field stood out even more, so she transferred to Mercer. At that point, a lot of kids might start looking for an after-school job. After all, making money is more fun than another potential disappointment in softball.
But, suddenly, fate changed its tune from “You’ll never got off the bench” to “Go get ’em.”
And she got ’em.
During a 2016 season in which MCCC went 41-9 and reached the Region 19 playoffs, Stahlbrand was outstanding at first base and pitcher.
She hit .373 and was second on the team in slugging percentage at .661, thanks to a team (and career) high eight home runs. Stahlbrand’s 36 RBI were second on the Vikings, and her 10 doubles were tied for second. She also scored 39 runs.
In the circle, Stahlbrand went 11-2 with three saves, seven complete games, a 2.51 ERA and 51 strikeouts.
“She can walk with her chin held up high now,” Mercer coach Ryan Zegarski said. “She’s proven she can do it after she didn’t get much of a chance. I find it hard to believe that a girl with that kind of pop in her bat couldn’t really get the chance to showcase what she could do.”
Stahlbrand took Zegarski’s advice of holding her head high—and rightfully so.
“I’m definitely proud of what I did,” she said. “I feel like I was definitely overlooked when I was in high school. At the time, I was really hurt about it. Now I’m doing so well. Coach Ry has 100 percent faith in everything I do. I’m proud that he knows what I can do when I play.”
Stahlbrand has been playing all her life. She had the misfortune of playing between World Series teams when she pitched for the Robbinsville Little League 12-year-old All-Stars. In the state final, she threw a one-hitter against Pequannock and lost the game, a day she remembers “perfectly,” she said, glumly.
After her strong freshman year with the Ravens JV squad, Stahlbrand was called up to the varsity for Robbinsville’s tournament run to the state championship.
“I just sat on the bench but it was awesome to be a part of it,” she said.
Then came her torn ACL, which she suffered playing basketball in February of her sophomore year. Stahlbrand missed the entire travel season and was not cleared to play until September.
“That was a lot of time and a lot of rehab and a lot of work,” she said. “Then I came back even stronger.”
Unfortunately, the Ravens had one of the best pitchers in Mercer County history in Lauren Fischer, and a senior was ahead of Stahlbrand at first base. The Ravens won another state title.
“I was only playing once in a while,” she said. “I was OK with that because I was still getting back in the swing of things. I didn’t get the best experience of what I wanted from Robbinsville High School, but it was still a great experience to be a part of some great teams, especially our championship seasons.”
As a senior, Stahlbrand was DH for a rebuilding Ravens team that reached the state finals before losing a 2-1, eight-inning game to High Point.
Niki Cognigni had taken over as head coach that season, and everyone was starting with a new slate. So the dues Stahlbrand had paid were not going to matter as she had to prove herself.
“I didn’t play that much, which was really frustrating to me,” Stahlbrand said. “I would go ask her what was I doing wrong, what kind of help do I need to get better and get that starting position, and then I would do it. Toward the Mercer County Tournament, I was a designated hitter and that’s what I basically did for the rest of the season. I wasn’t too thrilled with that season at all. I didn’t like the way things went down, but at least I got to play more.”
In 46 at-bats, Stahlbrand got 15 hits for a .326 average with 10 RBI. Next came her one-year experience at William Paterson, during which she attended all of her team’s practices and games and supported them before deciding to transfer.
Stahlbrand told Zegarski of her intentions to try out for the team, and he was all for it.
“She was a great find for us,” he said. “I did not know much about her at all. I didn’t try to recruit her. She was really under the radar. Traditionally, we don’t get Robbinsville kids even though the school is two miles away. I wish it would happen a little more for our program, but I’ll take what I can get.”
Despite the fact Zegarski was unfamiliar with the player, he knew all about the tradition she came from.
“Before she even got on the field, I knew she would have a high IQ for softball being around that program,” he said. “The kids are taught the right way with the travel program when they’re young. She understands the game great.”
The first thing Zegarski noted was Stahlbrand’s quick hands at the plate, which gave her bat plenty of pop. He took a look at her in the circle and was delighted to see that despite her long pitching layoff, she still threw with good velocity and control.
Mercer had the Region 19 Pitcher of the Year in Hamilton West graduate Kelly Tohill, but needed a back-up. Stahlbrand and Hamilton’s Autumn Sharkey provided that, and Stahlbrand was also a force on days she didn’t throw.
“I was surprised I did so well, I didn’t honestly think I was going to be that good,” Stahlbrand said. “Especially with hitting. I didn’t think I’d be this home run hitter, and I was like ‘Wow, I hit all these home runs.’ I was never really, like, a crazy home run hitter and then all of a sudden.”
She attributed it to working out, increasing her strength and getting a lot of swings in practice. Unable to participate at William Paterson, she got the most practice time of her career between the Vikings’ fall and spring seasons and winter workout sessions.
Stahlbrand admitted that she lacked a little confidence during her first practice, considering she had not played for over a year.
“I was so nervous,” she said. “I knew some of the girls because I either played against them in travel or high school and I’ve known them for a while. But I was so rusty because I didn’t play for so long in natural game situations.”
During that initial practice, however, she launched two home runs, and a star was reborn.
“I thought, ‘OK, I guess I’m doing well,’” Stahlbrand said with a laugh. “After that, I was so confident, and everybody else was confident in my ability to hit, field and pitch. When other people have confidence in you, it just makes you feel better and you have confidence in yourself.”
Zegarski is confident we still haven’t seen the best of Kaitlin Stahlbrand, and can’t wait to watch even more emerge during her sophomore season. After that, he is certain she will be back at a four-year school.
“I didn’t know she had that type of ability both offensively and defensively,” the coach said. “And I think there’s more there. There’s a lot of stuff hidden that she can bring out. With everything she did offensively this year, schools are definitely showing interest.”
Maybe that was her fate all along.
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