McKenna Smith is adapting to a new role this year at pitching-rich St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Smith was a starter and the ace at Old Town High School, where she was a two-time Penobscot Valley Conference Class B Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year. The freshman right-hander is a relief pitcher at St. Anselm and ranks tied for third in Division II with six saves.
St. Anselm plays Bridgeport in Thursday’s NCAA Regional tournament opener in Manchester.
Smith has made 15 appearances for the 37-8 Hawks this spring, 14 in relief. She owns a 5-3 record with a 1.47 earned run average with 62 strikeouts and 13 walks in 38 2/3 innings. She has allowed only 16 hits, including three home runs.
Smith, who is averaging 11.36 strikeouts per seven innings, joined a staff that features junior Morgan Perry, the Northeast 10 Pitcher of the Year (22-5, 1.38 ERA), and sophomore third-team choice Courtney Fisher (10-0, 1.52).
Their presence meant Smith was moved to the bullpen.
“It’s a lot different, but I’m really enjoying it,” Smith said. “Going into a game, having that pressure and taking on a (new) role has been cool.
“Knowing that my team trusts me to come in and close a game is really nice,” she added.
Coach Jill Gagnon, who guided St. Anselm to the school’s first-ever NCAA national runner-up finish last season, has worked with Smith.
“She throws hard and she has good movement on her ball,” Gagnon said.
“We have done a lot of work with her on her mechanics, and she throws harder now than she did in high school,” she added.
Smith said the added velocity is the result of a more fluid throwing motion that has given her a better release point. She has learned a lot from pitching coach Tayla Task, a former Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln standout and St. Anselm ace.
Smith said she has benefited from comparing notes with Perry and Fisher and from being able to concentrate on just one sport. She competed in field hockey and track at Old Town.
“Being able to bond with them and see how they throw and handle situations has definitely helped me. They’re super supportive,” Smith said.
Her athleticism has been evident. Gagnon said Smith had the highest vertical jump and longest broad jump among all female athletes at St. Anselm.
At Old Town, Smith was an all-conference performer in the long, triple and high jumps and finished in the top six in all three events at the Class B state meet.
Gagnon said Smith might also get a chance to hit and play in the outfield in the future.
Smith hasn’t pitched since April 17 when she gave up two runs in two innings against 13th-ranked rival Southern New Hampshire University.
“When you go up against real good hitters, you can’t blow the ball by them,” Gagnon said. “That was the best thing to happen to her.”
Smith’s four-pitch repertoire includes a changeup and a curveball to go with her fastball and riseball. The former Miss Maine Softball finalist threw primarily a riseball and curve in high school. She struck out 19 in a 2-0 victory over Fryeburg Academy in the 2017 Class B state championship game.
“We taught her a new changeup, and she has a pretty good one,” Gagnon said. “There’s probably a 20 miles an hour difference (between it and the fastball).”
Even though Gagnon has relied on Perry and Fisher down the stretch, she has confidence in Smith.
“I won’t hesitate to use her,” she said.
“She works real hard, she takes direction well and she wants to be the best she can possibly be,” added Gagnon, who called Smith the future of the program.
Smith is excited about the tournament.
“To come in as a freshman and be able to experience something great like this with such great people (is special),” said the daughter of Corey and Denise Smith.