The coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 season without a pitch being thrown.
Now, three years later, the Bradford Railroaders are back.
“That would’ve been great,” Miller said of the potential for four straight state appearances. “We talked about that our freshman year. But the two years I pitched, yeah I’ll take it.”
Bradford (28-2) plays New Riegel (28-2) in the Division IV state semifinals 3 p.m. Thursday. Cuyahoga Heights (21-4) and Newark Catholic (17-13) follow at 5:30 p.m. The winners return 1 p.m. Saturday for the championship game.
The softball team and 1982 football team are the only Bradford programs to reach the state tournament as teams. New Riegel’s softball team qualified for the fifth time (2015, 2010, 1996 and 1991) behind pitcher Kayleigh Lininger.
Miller (27-2), who consistently hits 60-63 mph, has thrown 11 no-hitters and eight one-hitters this season. She’s allowed 11 runs (four earned) overall with 23 shutouts.
Teamed with junior catcher and sister Austy Miller, the Millers are one of the best batteries in the state. In Bradford’s 1-0 win against Mechanicsburg in the D-IV regional title game, Miller threw out speedster Addie DeLong at third base and ended the game catching her attempting to steal second. DeLong had 55 steals this season.
“She’s caught me I don’t know how many years. I have so much confidence in her,” Skipp Miller said. “I don’t have to panic if I pitch one in the dirt because I know she’s going to get it. Every once in a while on slips. We fight but it’s fine. It happens.”
Bradford also brings it offensively. Six different Railroaders have hit home runs, with a team-high eight each from the Millers. Austy leads the team with a .616 average and is followed by senior left fielder Samantha “Buzz” Brewer (.500), Skipp Miller (.462), sophomore right fielder Izzy Hamilton (.453), junior first baseman Nylanie Beireis (.409), senior third baseman Manuel (.397), junior shortstop Abby Fike (.358), junior center fielder Rylee Canan (.345) and senior second baseman Emma Canan (.344).
Fike, meanwhile, displayed the Railroaders’ grit and toughness in the first inning against Mechanicsburg. While covering second base on a steal attempt Fike had her non-throwing arm bent back in a collision. She remained in the game.
“She said please don’t take me out. I can’t hit but I still want to play,” Schaffer said. “I’ll bunt like crazy. She’s one of our leaders. She kept our girls up in the dug out the entire time. I’m proud of Abby.
“(I love) how they respond under pressure. Back when she was a freshman no one knew about Skipp Miller. Now everyone knows about Skipp. Now there’s that pressure they’re expected to do this or do that. Living up to expectations is extremely difficult. These 19 girls did that. I’m proud of them.”
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