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LAFAYETTE ― Playing in 52 degree weather is a little bit chillier than what Harrison senior pitcher Bradi Odom was used to.
She's had just over five months to adjust to life in the Midwest after spending most of her life in Ada, Oklahoma, before following her father, Brad, and uncle, Purdue football head coach Barry Odom, to West Lafayette. Brad is the Director of Recruiting now for Purdue.
No matter the adjustments or moves ― from the southwest, to Las Vegas, and now Midwest ― the self-proclaimed "coach's kid" has made the sport of softball a dialect that's ran universal.
"It's made me closer to the girls because we're spending so much time together ... softball has helped me out," Odom said.
More: Here are the 90 high school softball players to watch in the Lafayette area
Odom, who is signed to East Central University, proved Tuesday night she isn't just the coach's kid with a big name. She can hammer the strike zone with befuddling, corkscrew-like movement.
Odom went the distance, recording 13 strikeouts, zero earned runs and didn't allow any baserunners to reach until one out in the seventh inning to lead Harrison over McCutcheon 5-1. She had a perfect game going through six frames.
Her first base runner allowed came with a 3-2 walk issued to McCutcheon junior Aubrey Miller, followed by a flare double by second baseman Emma Wykoff. The Harrison outfielders were playing deep to try and preserve the no-hit bid.
"We had it in our minds that we all wanted a perfect game," Odom said. "And that would've been the one game to do it against the Mavs. I really wanted to perform for my team. I love them and I haven't come to known them for very long, but they are great girls."
More: West Lafayette softball achieves milestone mark as underclassmen blossom
A combination of speed and witchcraft was served by Odom to McCutcheon hitters. Her fastball came with inside run giving the illusion it may hit a batter perhaps standing too close at the tips of the batter's box ― only to split in the last millisecond into the strike zone.
Her command in the circle was matched by Harrison (3-1) infield and outfield coming through with a pair of difficult catches in the first six innings. Third baseman Della Bossung made a grab against the netting in the third, while right fielder Anna Hainje sprinted full speed to leap, dive and catch a tailing fly ball off the bat of shortstop Kacie Nading.
"When I see a play like that, it just makes me know that these girls have my back," Odom said. "It's great to see and seeing us work hard and play hard."
Hainje played their roles in breaking the game open on offense against McCutcheon junior ace Kaidynn Peckinpaugh. Hainje beat out a throw from the infield to load the bases, and a line drive by Bossung into right center scored the first runs for Harrison.
"(Odom) did a great job and Peckinpaugh pitched a really good game ... it was just back and forth until one of us made adjustments," Bossung said. "Our whole team did a good job of making adjustments and it was a great team win."
More: Baseball and softball players take their swing with six Athlete of the Week candidates.
McCutcheon (3-1) battled, but struggled to adjust against Odom's changing speeds and movement.
"They weren't seeing the ball well tonight; a little out in front and not letting the ball travel to them," McCutcheon coach Amanda Bowman said. "Just a little bit of seeing the ball, shortening up and putting the ball in play is what we talked about."
Odom is finding herself at home in West Lafayette on a team that has welcomed her with open arms. She remembers the first night coming into town and meeting with teammates at McAllister's Deli in West Lafayette. While she is family members of Purdue's football hierarchy, the sport of softball and the family she's built at Harrison have become part of her Indiana identity.
In a few short months, Odom has established herself as one of Harrison's leaders. She maintained her calm deposition both after strikeouts and in the moments after the perfect game and no hitter bid slipped away.
"I go in with the same mentality every game," Odom said. "It's just one more batter and one more hitter. Just get the next pitch, next strike and I try to keep everything as calm and as lowkey as possible."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: IHSAA softball: Odom shows what she's capable of at Harrison
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She's had just over five months to adjust to life in the Midwest after spending most of her life in Ada, Oklahoma, before following her father, Brad, and uncle, Purdue football head coach Barry Odom, to West Lafayette. Brad is the Director of Recruiting now for Purdue.
No matter the adjustments or moves ― from the southwest, to Las Vegas, and now Midwest ― the self-proclaimed "coach's kid" has made the sport of softball a dialect that's ran universal.
"It's made me closer to the girls because we're spending so much time together ... softball has helped me out," Odom said.
More: Here are the 90 high school softball players to watch in the Lafayette area
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Odom, who is signed to East Central University, proved Tuesday night she isn't just the coach's kid with a big name. She can hammer the strike zone with befuddling, corkscrew-like movement.
Odom went the distance, recording 13 strikeouts, zero earned runs and didn't allow any baserunners to reach until one out in the seventh inning to lead Harrison over McCutcheon 5-1. She had a perfect game going through six frames.
Her first base runner allowed came with a 3-2 walk issued to McCutcheon junior Aubrey Miller, followed by a flare double by second baseman Emma Wykoff. The Harrison outfielders were playing deep to try and preserve the no-hit bid.
"We had it in our minds that we all wanted a perfect game," Odom said. "And that would've been the one game to do it against the Mavs. I really wanted to perform for my team. I love them and I haven't come to known them for very long, but they are great girls."
More: West Lafayette softball achieves milestone mark as underclassmen blossom
A combination of speed and witchcraft was served by Odom to McCutcheon hitters. Her fastball came with inside run giving the illusion it may hit a batter perhaps standing too close at the tips of the batter's box ― only to split in the last millisecond into the strike zone.
Her command in the circle was matched by Harrison (3-1) infield and outfield coming through with a pair of difficult catches in the first six innings. Third baseman Della Bossung made a grab against the netting in the third, while right fielder Anna Hainje sprinted full speed to leap, dive and catch a tailing fly ball off the bat of shortstop Kacie Nading.
You must be registered for see images attach
"When I see a play like that, it just makes me know that these girls have my back," Odom said. "It's great to see and seeing us work hard and play hard."
Hainje played their roles in breaking the game open on offense against McCutcheon junior ace Kaidynn Peckinpaugh. Hainje beat out a throw from the infield to load the bases, and a line drive by Bossung into right center scored the first runs for Harrison.
"(Odom) did a great job and Peckinpaugh pitched a really good game ... it was just back and forth until one of us made adjustments," Bossung said. "Our whole team did a good job of making adjustments and it was a great team win."
More: Baseball and softball players take their swing with six Athlete of the Week candidates.
McCutcheon (3-1) battled, but struggled to adjust against Odom's changing speeds and movement.
"They weren't seeing the ball well tonight; a little out in front and not letting the ball travel to them," McCutcheon coach Amanda Bowman said. "Just a little bit of seeing the ball, shortening up and putting the ball in play is what we talked about."
Assimilating to a new home area
Odom is finding herself at home in West Lafayette on a team that has welcomed her with open arms. She remembers the first night coming into town and meeting with teammates at McAllister's Deli in West Lafayette. While she is family members of Purdue's football hierarchy, the sport of softball and the family she's built at Harrison have become part of her Indiana identity.
In a few short months, Odom has established herself as one of Harrison's leaders. She maintained her calm deposition both after strikeouts and in the moments after the perfect game and no hitter bid slipped away.
"I go in with the same mentality every game," Odom said. "It's just one more batter and one more hitter. Just get the next pitch, next strike and I try to keep everything as calm and as lowkey as possible."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: IHSAA softball: Odom shows what she's capable of at Harrison
Continue reading...
