Chantelle's a key selection after softball first national championships

TEENAGER Chantelle Ladner pitched her way into softball history when she won the prestigious best pitcher award.

Softball

MT ANNAN teenager Chantelle Ladner pitched her way into softball history when she won the prestigious best pitcher award in her first national championships.

The 16-year-old was one of the first junior girls from the Macarthur District Softball Association selected for a national junior team.

Ladner represented NSW in the Australian under-17 girls titles at Blacktown last month.

"I can't describe the feeling of pulling on a NSW uniform and walking out to the diamond in a national tournament. It was a life-long dream come true," she said.

Despite a narrow grand final loss to Queensland, the Mt Annan High School student had the best pitching statistics of any girl at the tournament.

"I was in shock when my name was called out for the female best pitcher, but when they read my stats out it made sense. I knew I pitched well but I wasn't aware it was the tournament's best," she said.

In 21 innings, Ladner faced 87 batters, who scored just 14 safe hits and a run average of 0.646, while she also forced 17 strike-outs.

"It was the best I've ever pitched," she said.

"And it just so happened to be at my first national tournament."

Ladner attributed her pitching form to a regimented training schedule with her coach Ian Gilmore.

"I had great support with Ian and another coach Jim Smith. Leading up to nationals I had four pitching sessions a week and strength training on my legs, arms and core," she said.

Ladner said she would work towards her goal of selection in the softball world open championships.