Holly Van Hiel

Rick Devereux

One of the ultimate achievements for a pitcher is to toss a

no-hitter. Nolan Ryan pitched a major league record seven no-hitters

in his career, and threw two in one season while with the California

Angels in 1973. Those two no-hitters were exactly two months apart

from May 15 and July 15. What Corona del Mar High freshman Holly Van

Hiel accomplished in three days for the Sea Kings’ softball team was

something to make Ryan jealous.

Van Hiel, the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, struck out six

batters on April 22 en route to a no-hitter against Pacific Coast

League opponent Laguna Beach. She followed that performance with

another no-hitter and nine strikeouts against St. Matthias in the

Garden Grove tournament on April 24.

“I don’t know if I was ‘in the zone’ or not, but my confidence is

high right now,” Van Hiel said of throwing consecutive no-hitters. “I

know that a no-hitter is a team accomplishment because if I don’t

have my teammates making plays behind me [there won’t be a

no-hitter].”

“She’s been very good,” Coach Nichole Thompson sad. “She’s

definitely improving with every outing she’s getting.”

Van Hiel has only allowed seven earned runs through 22 innings of

work for a team-leading 2.23 ERA. But the freshman credits her fellow

Sea Kings for her success, especially catcher Sarah Stern.

“My relationship with Sarah is great,” Van Hiel said. “She’s

calling the game for me, and she’s a senior and helping with how to

approach the different batters. She lets me know what type of pitches

I should be throwing.”

For all the accolades that she tries to deflect, the only one

throwing the pitches is Van Hiel. As a freshman, it can be

uncomfortable to be a pitcher and leader on a team where some players

have been together for fours years, but it apparently has not had an

adverse effect on the team chemistry.

“I don’t see any awkwardness with Holly being a team leader. Our

team is very open and willing to have whoever steps up,” Thompson

said.

Van Hiel’s modesty aside, she does enjoy the responsibility that

pitchers shoulder.

“You can control the game as a pitcher and turn it into something

good, like a no-hitter,” Van Hiel said. “I think when you’re standing

in the circle you’re in the spotlight.”

On top of all of the regular stress of being a pitcher, serving up

consecutive no-hitters could add more pressure on a player to

constantly perform at an elite level. Thompson thinks Van Hiel’s

focus will help her stay consistent.

“I don’t think she thinks about pressure,” Thompson said. “Her

mental toughness never gives up.”

“Mental toughness is a big thing for a pitcher, especially a

freshman,” Van Hiel said. “I’m just trying to stay focused on the

whole game, no matter if good things or bad things happen. I just

want to throw my best pitches.”

Her best pitches, a curveball and a drop, have been working so far

for the Sea Kings. Thompson sees some areas that could use some

tweaking, but doesn’t think it would be hard to get Van Hiel to

implement those suggestions.

“I’d like her to be a little more aggressive with some of the

batters,” Thompson said. “Her curveball has been dominating the last

few games and she’s overpowering with her fastball.”

Van Hiel said she wants to work on her pitches through “lots of

practicing on ball spin.”

“She’s very coachable,” Thompson said.

Thompson should be salivating to have such a dominating player

with three years of eligibility left, but both her and Van Hiel are

thinking into the immediate future.

“I just want her to improve every game,” Thompson said, adding

that she hasn’t thought that far ahead in regards to the type of

player Van Hiel might be as a senior.

“I think right now we’re in a position to get into the CIF

playoffs, so I’m just concentrating on succeeding at that,” Van Hiel

said of her goals at CdM. “Long-term? Just to play through high

school.”

If she continues to have performances like last week, she could

have people asking, “Nolan who?”