Schroeder doing it all for Trojans

Ellison Schroeder has pitched almost every game for Oak Ridge's varsity girls' softball team has not only is that a huge responsibility for a sophomore, she's also done a good job with it. Schroeder has won 6 games and lost 6, with an earned run average of 1.85. In 87 innings of work, Schroeder has allowed 77 hits, 23 earned runs and has struck out 93 batters. Opponents are hitting .226 against her. "Ellison has been essentially a one-person team, as she's done almost all of our pitching," Oak Ridge coach Sam Toy said. "She pitched a great game against Folsom on Thursday, and also pitched well in a win against Rocklin earlier in the week. She's been pitching very well for us." Folsom Telegraph: What are your hopes/ plans after graduating high school? Ellison Schroeder: After high school, I hope to play softball at a power 5 Division 1 college and earn a degree in finances or architecture. FT: Would you like to play softball in college? ES: Yes, since I started playing when I was 6 years old, I've always wanted to play in college and have been working hard since then to make that dream come true. FT: Do sports run in your family? ES: Yes, I have four siblings and all of them have played multiple sports at some point or do now. My dad also played a lot of sports when he was younger and coached most of my teams when I first started. FT: How long have you been playing softball and how did you get your start in it? ES: I started playing softball about 10 years ago when I was in first grade. I got brought in to the sport by my older sister, who was playing with her school friends at the time. FT: Have you ever been involved in any other sports? ES: For a while, soccer was my favorite sport until I began to be more serious about softball. I also played basketball and volleyball for my elementary/middle school. FT: What do you enjoy about softball? ES: I love the competitive aspect of the game, as well as the mental part and strategy. I spend a lot of my time thinking about pitch sequencing and the most effective ways to get a batter out using my different pitches. FT: How did you get into pitching and what do you enjoy about it? ES: I started pitching because my older sister was doing pitching lessons, so my dad started me at the same time even though I may have been a little young. I enjoy the struggle of pitching the most because that makes the success that much more rewarding. FT: What do you enjoy about this year's team? You're so young but yet talented. ES: I enjoy the fun energy that each of our players bring to the team. Everyone is extremely skilled but because we are young, we get to continue learning from each other every day. FT: Who is the funniest person on the team and how does she make you laugh? ES: I think the funniest person on the team is our team manager Ella. She brings a super fun and light vibe to the team and always has so much energy even when we're down. FT: What's your favorite subject or class in school? ES: My favorite subject is math. FT: Do you have a favorite genre of music or a favorite singer/group/rapper? ES: My favorite genre is probably country; but I would say my favorite singer is Taylor Swift. FT: Favorite food? ES: My favorite food is sushi. FT: Do you have any pets? Tell us about them. ES: I have two cats, Hank and Johnny. My dad named them after Hank Williams and Johnny Cash because he is a big fan of both of them. FT: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? ES: When I am not doing something softball related, I enjoy going to the gym, the mall, and hanging out with my friends. FT: What inspires you in sports? ES: I'm inspired by college athletes that have worked extremely hard to make their dreams come true, which makes me want to work even harder to achieve mine. FT: What job or career are you interested in? ES: I enjoy math but also home design, so I think architecture would be a fun career but I am not completely sure yet.