Gerstner gives solid performance in the circle for Hawks

If you asked people to name the best softball pitcher in the Sunflower League before the season, Emily Gerstner’s name wouldn’t have come up.

Ask that same question today, and it’s hard to make a case for anyone other than the Olathe East senior.

Gerstner, who pitched the Hawks back to state Tuesday despite a twisted left ankle, is 17-1 with an ERA near 0.50 and close to 120 strikeouts this season.

There are a couple pitchers with similar or better stats, Olathe North’s Sarah Espy and Olathe Northwest’s Jacinda Ramos, for instance.

Of course, when Gerstner opposed both Espy and Dale, it was the Hawks who prevailed — and Gerstner got the victory. Only Olathe South’s Molly Miller beat Gerstner this season, and even that took extra innings.

“I’m excited for her to have a season like this as a sort of reward,” East coach Jeff Hulse said. “At the same time, I’m elated as a coach, because we needed that as a team. She’s really stepped up and put us on her shoulders and carried us lately in the circle.”

*****

Perhaps no one is more surprised by her incredible success than Gerstner, who never expected to be the Hawks ace.

A career junior varsity player for East, Gerstner planned to serve as the backup pitcher to fellow senior Michaela Hupp this season. She worked hard with that goal in mind during the summer with her club squad, the Olathe Hammers.

But when Hupp unexpectedly struggled early this season, Gerstner suddenly found herself center stage. She’s remained in the spotlight, without flinching, ever since.

“It took to about game six or seven before she had proven herself and Michaela kind of relinquished that No. 1 spot,” Hulse said, “but Emily really stepped up big for us.”

Gerstner is now the unquestioned ace of the most dominant program in Kansas softball history, a program that has been to state 12 of the last 13 seasons and won the last four Class 6A championships. East also won state in 1998 and 2001.

“It’s such a huge honor just to be on a team that’s won the last four state championships,” Gerstner said. “But to be the No. 1 pitcher? It’s incredible; it’s like a dream.”

To hear Hulse tell it, Gerstner’s ascendance isn’t a complete surprise. He saw her potential as a JV players as well as her work ethic and her “great passion and spirit for the game.”

Still, Gerstner was going to be a work a progress, not a world-beater, someone the Hawks could develop throughout the year.

“It’s really satisfying as a coach when you look back and watch her growth as a player,” Hulse said. “It’s been neat to see, and I’ve seen her leadership grow too. Early in the season, she was just trying to do her thing, but now I see her bringing up others around her.”

There wasn’t one moment when Gerstner realized she could flourish at the varsity level and become the ace East needed her to be. Quite the contrary, it’s a mantra she’s repeated to herself a million times this spring.

“I tell myself that I can do it all the time,” Gerstner said. “I tell myself that I’ve worked really hard for this moment, so don’t blow it now. Just give all you’ve got and try to perform at your best.”

She remains in awe of her own performance.

It’s all happened so fast. She’s barely had time to digest everything, but the gravity of her success has started to wash over Gerstner in recent weeks.

Beating Espy was a watershed victory for her.

“I’m not going to lie: I was so nervous when I went out to the mound, especially that first inning. Every time I went out, I’d take a huge breath and then let it out when I got to the mound,” said Gerstner, who tossed an eight-inning no-hitter during the first game against the Eagles.

It’s the only no-hitter she ever has thrown. Sometimes, she still can’t believe it happened, especially against one of the Sunflower League’s best teams.

*****

Perhaps even more shocking, Gerstner doesn’t expect to pitch in college. She will still play for the Hammers this summer, but after that she’ll hang up the cleats to pursue a physical therapy degree at the University of Kansas.

The last two years, Gerstner has spent several hours a week with East’s trainer Ron Cooper, learning the craft of sports medicine. She served as a student athletic trainer for the Hawks football team in the fall.

Gerstner’s father is a pharmacist and biology has always appealed to her, so she decided a long time ago to pursue a career in medicine.

She’s worried softball might interfere with her studies.

Still, this season has given her pause. People continue to prod her about playing at the next level and sometimes she thinks it would be fun to walk on with the Jayhawks.

Right now, though, repairing her ailing ankle is the top priority.

“The ankle’s good,” Gerstner insisted Wednesday. “It’s a little bit sore.”

She’s on an ice regimen and is staying off it as much as possible until next week. Gerstner has no doubt it will be fine by Friday when 6A state begins at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.

And she would know. She’s the one going into physical therapy.

“I’m really excited (about state), but I’m also kind of nervous,” Gerstner said. “It’s very nerve-racking to go in knowing we’ve won four state championships, because I don’t want to let my team down. I’m going to have to the absolute best I can for our team and the tradition we have at Olathe East.”

Of course, the last time she was this nervous, she pitched the game of her life — that no-hitter against North. It stands to reason, then, Gerstner ought to throw three no-hitters at state, right?

“That’s probably not going to happen,” she said laughing.

At this point, though, it would no longer surprise anyone.