Kelly Kretschman

Kelly Sue Kretschman (born August 26, 1979) is an American, former collegiate 4-time All-American, two-time medal winning Olympian, retired 9-time pro All-Star softball outfielder and current softball coach originally from Indian Harbour Beach, Florida. Kretschman played college softball at Alabama in the Southeastern Conference where she is the career leader in doubles and total bases. She won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a member of Team USA. She also played in the National Pro Fastpitch with four teams including her longest tenure with the USSSA Pride; she is the all-time career leader in RBIs, hits, doubles and base on balls.[1] She also owns numerous records for the Tide and is one of select NCAA Division I players to bat .400 with 300 hits, 200 runs and 100 stolen bases for her career.

Kelly Kretschman
Kelly Kretschman playing for the USSSA Pride in 2017
USSSA Pride – No. 12
Right Field
Born: (1979-08-26) August 26, 1979
Indian Harbor Beach, Florida
Bats: Left Throws: Right
NPF debut
2005, for the Akron Racers
NPF statistics
(through 2019)
Batting average.346
Hits512
Home runs55
Runs batted in265
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • 9× All-NPF Team Selection
  • 7× Crowles Cup Champion (2005, 2007, 2010, 2013-2014, 2018-2019)
  • 2× Offensive Player of the Year (2016-2017)
  • 3× NPF Player of the Year (2015-2017)
  • Triple Crown Winner (2017)
  • Home Run Champion (2016)
Medals
Women's softball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
2004 Athens Team competition
2008 Beijing Team competition

Alabama Crimson Tide

After graduating from Satellite High School in Satellite Beach, Florida, Kretschman attended the University of Alabama.[2] The freshman debuted with Alabama Crimson Tide softball on February 13 and she had hit in two plate appearances against the Fresno State Bulldogs. She was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association All-American and All-SEC second teams.[3] She broke both school and conference season records in batting average, home runs, hits (NCAA all-time Freshman Class record) and slugging percentage (which led the NCAA that year).[4] Her RBIs, triples, runs and on-base percentage ranked top-10 at Alabama; she still claims all those top season records but has been surpassed in the average.[5]

Starting February 27 and lasting until April 4, she went on the NCAA's third best hit streak (35 games, 26 consecutive). She hit .521 (62/119) on 15 home runs, 5 triples, 15 doubles to slug 1.109%, with 36 RBIs, 16 walks, 25 stolen bases and striking out just four times.[6] For one of her games, Kretschman reached career single game highs in RBIs (5) and hits (4), as well as hitting a school record two triples to end the game on a run-rule victory over the Wisconsin Badgers on March 1.[7] Later on March 25, Kretschman walked 4 times to set another career best vs. the Georgia Southern Eagles.

For the 1999 season, Kretschman repeated as All-American, moved up to First Team All-SEC and broke another school record with 30 stolen bases.[8] Her hits and triples are top-10 for a season with the Tide. In a doubleheader with the Arkansas Razorbacks on March 21, she would swipe 4 bags for a career highlight.[9]

Kretschman was named First Team All-American for the 2000 season and continued her all-conference success.[10] She ranked top-10 in school history for virtually every season stat: average, RBIs, home runs, triples, doubles, hits, walks, runs, stolen bases, slugging and on-base percentages. The hits total (102) led the NCAA that year and is still the school record while every other latter category is a top-10 Tide record.[11]

The Tide made it into their first Women's College World Series and Kretschman's only career appearance at the series, she hit .333 with 3 RBIs and slugging over .550% to be named to the All-Tournament Team.[12] The Tide were eventually eliminated by the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles despite nabbing a victory over DePaul.[13]

For a final season, Kretschman would be named First Team All-American and All-SEC.[14] She entered more top-10 season records for average, hits, walks and percentages to the Alabama Crimson Tide program. Besting the Michigan Wolverines 7-2 on February 28, Kretschman connected for her 50th career home run off pitcher Meghan Ritter.[15]

Kretschman would graduate owning career records in average, RBIs, home runs, triples, doubles, hits, walks, runs, stolen bases, slugging and on-base percentages for the Tide. She retains the records for hits, home runs, doubles, triples, runs and slugging.[16] She is tops in the SEC for doubles, total bases and ranks top-10 in several other categories.[17] In NCAA Division I, Kretschman ranks in career runs (3rd), total bases (3rd) and hits (6th)[18]

Team USA

Kretschman began her career with Team USA in 2000 while still a student at Alabama.[19] On the "Aiming For Athens" tour, she would hit .471.[20] She had tour highs of 5 RBIs (in part courtesy of a grand slam) vs. the UCLA Bruins on March 28 and a perfect 4/4 hit game over the Texas Longhorns on March 9, 2004.[21][22]

At the Olympics, Kretschman at one point had a 5-game RBI streak. She went 1/3 vs. Australia in the August 23 finale to earn gold.[23] Kretschman was tied leading the team in triples, doubles and was perfect in the field.[24]

The "Bound 4 Beijing" tour saw Kretschman lead the team in walks while hitting .467 and slugging .822%. On March 28, Team USA suffered a 1-0 loss that snapped their perfect Olympic tours record at the hands of Angela Tincher and the Virginia Tech Hokies. Kretschman walked in the second inning to disrupt what was otherwise a perfect game.[25]

In the August 21 Olympic softball finale vs. Japan, Kretschman was shut out by Yukiko Ueno managing only a walk as the US was downed 3-1 to take silver.[26] In her last international tournament, Kretschman hit .348 for Team USA.[27]

National Pro Fastpitch

Kretschman began her career with the Akron Racers in 2005 and hit .280. She debuted on June 2 vs. the Arizona Heat and had a hit in the game.[28] From the next years on 2006–2019, not including 2008, Kretschman would play for the Connecticut Brakettes, Washington Glory and finally the USSSA Pride, her longest tenure. On June 11, she would nab a career best 4 hits against the Chicago Bandits. Later on July 18, she was walked three times against the Akron Racers for another single game high.[28][29] In 2006, 2009–10 and 2015–19, she was named an NPF All-Star.[30][31][32] Beginning on August 20 during that year's playoffs, Kretschman would begin a career best 16 consecutive game hit streak, tallying a hit in all four games for the Pride. She would win her first Player of The Year award in 2015. She would start the season at 12 straight games with a hit to extend the streak to 16 games. For the streak, Kretschman hit .509 (27/53) with 14 RBIs, five home runs, four doubles, slugging .962% with four walks. For one of the games on June 8, she would steal two bases in facing the Dallas Charge for another career highlight. In 2016, she was again named Player of The Year and became the first batter to achieve the Triple Crown with career highs in average, RBIs and home runs; she also had career bests in runs, hits, slugging and stolen bases.[33] In 2017, she earned a third consecutive Player of The Year honor with career highs that topped her own records for walks and batting average to set league records.

She also won the Cowles Cup Championships from 2005 and 2007. In 2010, she won her third title; in her other seasons of play since but not including 2011-12, Kretschman was a finalist for the title and claimed her fourth NPF Cowles Cup on August 24, 2013.[34] She would also claim the 2014, 2018 and 2019 titles to give her a remarkable 7 titles. She made her last appearance in the 2019 championship game, going 2/4 with 2 RBIs and a stolen base. In all the combined finals games, Kretschman has gone 9/34 with five RBIs, a home run, double and two walks.[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42]

Kretschman holds the current career record for walks (the first to cross 200) and she became the only player with three 30 walk seasons. Kretschman also claims the hits (first past 500), doubles (the first player to top 80), RBI (being the first to reach 250), and runs crowns. In 2015, she also became just the second player to collect 300 career hits and in 2016 she became the first to tally 1,000 at bats. Currently, she stands second all-time in home runs behind Megan Wiggins.[43] Kretschman is the most decorated player in league history with her three Player of The Year recognitions, 8 All-Star selections and 7 titles. In 2019, Kretschman announced her retirement.[44]

Coaching career

In 2012, Kretschman was a volunteer assistant with the University of Maryland.[45] From 2015 to 2016, Kretschman was an assistant coach at Texas State.[46]

Statistics

Alabama Crimson Tide
YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
1998 67 214 94 100 .467 64 25 7 22 211 .986% 31 11 40 47
1999 65 210 54 83 .395 31 8 4 16 131 .624% 34 13 30 33
2000 80 234 83 102 .436 58 14 3 18 168 .718% 51 16 43 46
2001 61 184 57 83 .451 38 13 2 9 135 .733% 45 14 20 28
TOTALS 273 842 288 368 .437 191 60 16 65 645 .766% 161 54 133 154

Team USA
YEAR AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
2004 142 54 64 .450 40 7 3 14 105 .739% 17 18 5 6
2008 147 76 66 .449 58 11 1 13 114 .775% 51 17 5 5
TOTALS 289 130 130 .450 98 18 4 27 219 .758% 68 35 10 11

NPF Akron Racers, Connecticut Brakettes, Washington Glory & USSSA Pride
YEAR AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB
2005 75 14 21 .280 13 1 0 3 27 .360% 13 9 6
2006 100 26 41 .410 12 3 0 9 59 .590% 35 16 2
2007 51 16 17 .333 5 1 2 3 27 .529% 19 10 3
2009 120 17 42 .350 22 8 0 7 73 .608% 21 18 1
2010 140 27 41 .293 29 7 1 11 77 .550% 29 23 5
2011 70 14 21 .300 10 1 0 3 27 .385% 16 4 2
2012 82 17 29 .353 24 3 0 5 44 .536% 22 18 1
2013 129 26 41 .318 19 1 0 4 48 .340% 26 17 4
2014 124 12 36 .290 24 3 0 7 52 .419% 13 20 0
2015 150 24 49 .326 23 7 0 5 75 .500% 16 9 10
2016 144 45 65 .451 46 14 0 9 116 .805% 33 17 13
2017 131 35 64 .488 19 6 2 12 98 .748% 36 16 6
2018 69 17 18 .261 9 0 0 5 23 .333% 20 10 1
2019 93 9 27 .290 10 0 0 4 31 .333% 25 13 5
TOTALS 1478 299 512 .346 265 55 5 87 774 .523% 324 200 59

References
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