KNOX, Pa. (EYT/D9) — It didn’t take long for Natalie Bowser to realize this season that things were going to be different.
Much different.
After what she did last year — a legendary campaign to be sure in which the Keystone first baseman batted .766 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs — pitchers were going to tread very carefully when it came to the Panthers’ junior slugger in 2022.
“This year I definitely got pitched to differently,” Bowser said. “I saw a lot more of off-speed and outside pitches, which caused me to lose some of my power in the box.”
Like any good hitter, Bowser adjusted. She went the other way frequently. She was more patient at the plate, and she took walks when they came her way.
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Bowser still had an exceptional season, batting .629 with 11 homers and 30 RBIs.
Her OPS was a robust 2.089.
Bowser’s prodigious numbers didn’t go unnoticed.
She was named Class 2A Position Player of the Year by the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association All-State team.
“It means the absolute world to me,” Bowser said. “I’m not gonna lie to you — I didn’t see that coming. It means a lot that coaches at that level see my potential and can see how well I did with being pitched around. I’m so thankful I got chosen, and God let me have these abilities.”
The all-state team was just one of the honors Bowser received on back-to-back days this week.
Bowser also earned a spot on the MaxPreps All-American team as a second-team selection.
It’s the second consecutive year Bowser has landed on that prestigious national team.
“It’s honestly a great honor, and it’s a dream come true,” Bowser said. “I honestly don’t think it has set in yet. This means that I’m an All-American. No one has ever done that at our school, which is a big accomplishment for me.”
Bowser isn’t going to rest on her last two eye-popping seasons.
Bowser wants to improve her game even more — a scary thought for pitchers in District 9 and beyond.
“I really want to improve the mental aspect of my game,” Bowser said. “When it comes to softball, I’m really hard on myself mentally. I do feel like I have a lot of pressure on me from my last two years of playing, so I put even more pressure on myself to make sure I don’t let my team down.”
Bowser, who is also a pitcher, hopes to get better in the circle, as well.
“I also want to work on my pitches,” Bowser said. “I feel like I struggle with it. (I’m going to work) in the offseason and come back even stronger.”
Bowser has not yet decided where she will play softball in college.
She hopes to have a clearer picture after her travel softball season concludes this summer.
“I’m really using this travel season to get more exposure,” Bowser said. “Hopefully, I’ll have more colleges contact me.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
