Prairie State sophomore Sarah Kessler has always had a passion for softball and the dedication to put in the work necessary to become an elite player as both a pitcher and a hitter.
If Kessler ever slacked off, though, her family was there to push her.
“My dad, Rick, was always my coach for everything,” Kessler said. “He was my pitching coach and I’d always pitch with him, then he’d make sure I got outside and hit some tennis balls.
“My whole family played baseball and softball, so I had a lot of people giving me advice and helping me out.”
Kessler, a T.F. South graduate, is dominating the junior college ranks this season for the Pioneers (26-5).
As a pitcher, Kessler is 14-2 with a 1.95 ERA. She’s also hitting .490 with five home runs and 32 RBIs.
She has committed to play next season for Judson.
“Sarah has been outstanding,” Prairie State coach Frank Wilkins said. “She’s probably one of the top 10 pitchers in the country, and when you add in what she does with her bat, she’s so valuable. She’s on a mission this year.”
Kessler was impressive as a freshman as well, going 15-4 with a 1.32 ERA while hitting .349.
Going into this season, however, she was motivated to take her game to another level.
“This year, I saw all the sophomores we had coming back and I knew we could do big things as a team,” she said. “We were all really determined to go far, and I wanted to do everything I could to help us get there.”
While Kessler is a strong leader by example and fires up her teammates, Wilkins said she’s also the one to keep them loose.
“She’s a free-spirited player,” he said. “She’s always singing and dancing in the dugout, joking around with her teammates. When it’s time for her to pitch or hit, though, she’s locked in. She’s ready.”
Kessler balances fun with focus.
“That’s just me,” she said. “I got out and goof around with my friends, have a good time, but when I’m up to bat or pitching, I think about my teammates or Frank or my family and how I want to come through for them.”
Thanks to Prairie State’s powerful offense, Kessler has pitched with less pressure on her this season.
The Pioneers are hitting .450 as a team, ranking second in NJCAA Division II. Lake Region State, the only team ahead of Prairie State, has played just eight games.
Sidney Hero (.536, 19 RBIs), T.F. South graduate Sydney Harrison (.467, six home runs, 39 RBIs) and Marist graduate Hayley Fletcher (.467, 20 RBIs) are among the Pioneer players having huge seasons.
Kessler and Harrison have been teammates since they were freshmen in high school, and they’ll continue to be next year. Harrison also has committed to Judson.
“We’ve been best friends and we thought for sure we’d be leaving each other next year,” Kessler said. “We didn’t plan to go to the same school, but it just worked out that way. It’s really cool.”
But first, Kessler hopes to lead Prairie State to the NJCAA Division II World Series.
“This is the year we can get there,” she said. “It’s just a matter of how hard we work and how bad we want it.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
