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A state champion college-bound softball player set a program record this week.
Freedom Christian's Marshall commit, Rylan Miller hit her 20th career homer in the Patriots' 7-0 win over Faith Christian on Tuesday night, surpassing 2020 graduate and Queens University player Haley Nelson's previous record of 19 and marking Miller's fourth of the season.
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When asked how it felt to be the program's leader in home runs, the Marshall Herd commit talked about how much weight was lifted from her shoulders.
“It feels amazing! It’s been a goal of mine since sophomore year to break the record, so at that moment, it felt like some weight had been lifted off of my shoulders," Miller said. "Seeing my name on the leaderboard is surreal, and I couldn’t have done it without the support from my coaches and teammates.”
Miller's two-way dominance has been a catalyst for the Patriots throughout her career, helping them get over the hump to secure last year's NCISAA 2A Division championship and an undefeated record, including a 36-game win streak to accompany the milestone.
Aside from the help of her teammates, Miller has had tremendous one-on-one coaching throughout her life — mostly from Freedom coach Heath Miller, her dad.
He described how it felt to see his daughter and star player break the record on their home field. "It’s been an absolute blessing for me to see/watch on the dirt with her. I’ve had some amazing mentors around me that have really helped shape my mindset as both a dad and a coach. It’s definitely special, and I’ve enjoyed every moment and memory," Coach Miller said. "Rylan wasn’t ever the biggest or fastest, so she’s had to work hard for what she wanted."
The championship-winning coach also talked about the former Patriot athletes and how they paved the way for the current and future players.
"Freedom has had some great softball teams and athletes in its history, too. It was important for me as a coach to have our athletes understand the history of Freedom softball, and it is also an incentive for them to reach new heights. Haley Nelson and Molly Montgomery set a pretty big standard for the program (as you can see on our record board), and I think our current senior class has embraced that standard and is excited to leave their own mark."
Over her career, here's a quick look at the Marshall commit's stats.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Marshall softball commit Rylan Miller home run record
Continue reading...
Freedom Christian's Marshall commit, Rylan Miller hit her 20th career homer in the Patriots' 7-0 win over Faith Christian on Tuesday night, surpassing 2020 graduate and Queens University player Haley Nelson's previous record of 19 and marking Miller's fourth of the season.
IMPACTFUL FRESHMEN: Fayetteville-area high school basketball's most impactful freshmen in 2024-25 season
NEW NCHSAA CONFERENCE NAMES: What will the new Fayetteville 5A, 6A and 7A conferences be named in 2025-2029?
4-TIME CHAMPIONS: Freedom Christian softball completes perfect season with fourth NCISAA state title
When asked how it felt to be the program's leader in home runs, the Marshall Herd commit talked about how much weight was lifted from her shoulders.
“It feels amazing! It’s been a goal of mine since sophomore year to break the record, so at that moment, it felt like some weight had been lifted off of my shoulders," Miller said. "Seeing my name on the leaderboard is surreal, and I couldn’t have done it without the support from my coaches and teammates.”
Miller's two-way dominance has been a catalyst for the Patriots throughout her career, helping them get over the hump to secure last year's NCISAA 2A Division championship and an undefeated record, including a 36-game win streak to accompany the milestone.
Aside from the help of her teammates, Miller has had tremendous one-on-one coaching throughout her life — mostly from Freedom coach Heath Miller, her dad.
He described how it felt to see his daughter and star player break the record on their home field. "It’s been an absolute blessing for me to see/watch on the dirt with her. I’ve had some amazing mentors around me that have really helped shape my mindset as both a dad and a coach. It’s definitely special, and I’ve enjoyed every moment and memory," Coach Miller said. "Rylan wasn’t ever the biggest or fastest, so she’s had to work hard for what she wanted."
The championship-winning coach also talked about the former Patriot athletes and how they paved the way for the current and future players.
"Freedom has had some great softball teams and athletes in its history, too. It was important for me as a coach to have our athletes understand the history of Freedom softball, and it is also an incentive for them to reach new heights. Haley Nelson and Molly Montgomery set a pretty big standard for the program (as you can see on our record board), and I think our current senior class has embraced that standard and is excited to leave their own mark."
Rylan Miller by the numbers
Over her career, here's a quick look at the Marshall commit's stats.
- 1.71 ERA
- 35-8 pitching record
- 298.2 Innings pitched
- 656 strikeouts
- .169 opponent batting average
- 113 runs scored
- 111 hits
- 112 RBIs
- 20 home runs
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Marshall softball commit Rylan Miller home run record
Continue reading...
