Female Area Athlete of Week: Geschwill reaches big milestone for Pequot Lakes

Kaitlyn Geschwill called the moment special.

The Pequot Lakes senior became the sixth Patriot ever to record 100 hits in her softball career. She did it when she tallied four doubles in a doubleheader against Crosby-Ironton last week.

“It was special not just because I achieved that milestone, but having all our fans and my teammates there celebrating it with me made that moment super special for me,” she said.

Geschwill started the doubleheader a little slow as she went only 1-for-4 with a double in Game One. She responded with a 5-5 performance which included three doubles and her 100th hit in Game Two.

“The first game I started 0-for-2 and I was like ‘Great, this is awesome,’” Geschwill said sarcastically. “I was just putting so much pressure on myself. Then in the second game, I told myself I just needed one more hit and as soon as it dropped in the hole in right field I was so relieved of all that pressure, it was just gone.”

Pequot Lakes head coach Bret Sergent said 100 hits was a goal for Geschwill since she started playing varsity in eighth grade.

“She wanted to be the sixth player in our history to reach that goal,” he said. “When she reached it, she was pretty happy about it. The dugout knew when it happened, too. They were all cheering before the ball landed. I was just glad because I knew she was pressing in that first game, so it was a relief.”

Through nine games, Geschwill leads the Patriots in hitting with a .636 average which includes seven doubles, two triples and a home run with 11 RBIs. She’s also stolen a team high nine stolen bases and has yet to strikeout in 33 at bats.

“She is always really polite and nice to her teammates and that hasn’t changed since day one,” Sergent said. “She is one of the nicest people you’ve ever met and she loves to play the game of softball and has put the time in.”

She might not have recorded a strikeout in the batter’s box, but in the pitching circle Geschwill is a strikeout machine.

She’s pitched all 55 innings for the Patriots through nine games, all wins. She struck out 111 batters, allowed 15 hits, three walks and three runs, but no earned runs.

“She’s not just a pitcher, she’s a great softball player,” Sergent said. “She can play everywhere, but has worked very hard to become the pitcher she has been. She’s not the tallest, but she’s really strong and is using her legs well this year.”

Opponents are hitting just a .090 batting average off her as well.

“Since it’s my senior year, I’ve figured that it’s my last year, so making it my best year,” Geschwill said. “That’s been my mentality. I have a ton of confidence in the field behind me, but I feel like I can achieve the most strikeouts ever for Pequot, so I’ve been trying to get ahead in the count more often and get those strikeouts.”

Last week against Staples-Motley she struck out 28 batters in a doubleheader sweep of Aitkin and struck out 24 in the sweep of C-I.

The pitch Geschwill relies heavily on is her rise ball.

“That is my most common strikeout pitch because a lot of girls like to chase those,” she said. “I’ve used that a lot this year.”

Sergent added: “I was talking to the ump at one of our games and he was saying how amazing her rise ball is. She gets everything out of it and gets a great push off the rubber and locates it well.”

Geschwill has been on varsity for Pequot softball since eighth grade and has looked up to a lot of different players in her time who have helped her step in as a leader herself.

“I’ve learned so much from them and try to speak out to help those younger girls,” Geschwill said. “I try to help them get better.”

Geschwill will be staying close to home next year as she is committed to playing softball for coach Ray Austin at Central Lakes College.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “I’ve known Ray ever since I was in like fifth grade, because I would always go to the CLC camps. His assistant Ashley (Erickson) was also my first coach, so it’s exciting that I get to go play for her and I know she’s excited to have me as well. I know a lot of girls on the team and staying at home will help me a lot.”

Other notable performances:
Softball: Frankie Seelen, Pierz, struck out 13 in a doubleheader against Foley.
Briana Blais, Pillager, struck out 13 in a doubleheader against New York Mills. She struck out eight in a no-hitter against Osakis
Jenna Dykhoff, Wadena-Deer Creek, recorded a home run and a double against Long Prairie-Grey Eagle. She also tallied two doubles against Swanville.
Abigail Palm, Aitkin, went 4-for-4 with a home run, triple. three runs scored, six RBIs in a doubleheader against Detroit Lakes.
Lilly Young, Crosby-Ironton, went 5-for-5 with two runs and an RBI against Pine River-Backus.
Track and Field: Ashley Kimman, Pierz, won three events in the Little Falls meet. She won two events in the Pillager meet
Halle Reis, Little Falls, won three events in the Little Falls meet.
Violette Metz, Pillager, won three events in the Pillager meet.
Golf: Genevieve Birkeland, Pequot Lakes, won the meet at Crosswoods Golf Course.
Abby Turkowski, Little Falls, won the Granite Ridge Conference Meet at Elk River Golf Course.

Year: Senior
School: Pequot Lakes
Sport: Softball
Position: Pitcher
Highlights: She struck out 28 batters with two doubles, five runs scored and five RBIs against Aitkin. She struck out 24 with four doubles including her 100th career hit against Crosby-Ironton.