With a 5-0 record, a 2.55 ERA and the only pitcher for the Pride to record a win so far this season, Sarah Cornell has started her college career the way many could only dream of. “I don’t really think about being a freshman. I just think about doing my best on and off the field,” Cornell said.
Evidently, the thought of being a freshman does not affect her in a negative way – she is willing to take any challenge head on without any sort of intimidation.
Her consistent dominance began a couple of years ago at Clarke High School in Westbury, New York where she put up spectacular numbers.
Cornell was 23-3 her junior year – while striking out 361 batters – and for her senior year posted an 18-4 record with a 0.58 ERA while recording 266 strikeouts. She broke the Long Island high school record for strikeouts in her four years with 1,345.
As a result of these numbers, Cornell was an All-New York State first selection her junior and senior year, named the Long Island and Gatorade New York State Player of the Year as a senior and was also named National Fastpitch Coaches Association High School All-American.
Now, just about two weeks into her college career at Hofstra, Cornell has already been rewarded with the title CAA Rookie of the Week.
“It’s amazing. It was a goal of mine,” Cornell said.
She was awarded this after her performance – 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA – down at the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational tournament; she also recorded her first career shutout at the college level against Florida International University (FIU). Against Rutgers University and Boston College, Cornell only gave up one run to both teams.
Although Cornell has been hot as of late, her first two games were not quite the same. Through her first two starts, she gave up 10 runs in as many innings to St. Joseph’s and Binghamton; however, she still managed to get the win in both outings.
“I just keep on trying to do better than I did the game before,” Cornell said. “I had that one game where I had a shutout and then the next I had a shutout again, but in the seventh inning I let up a home run. My coach kept telling me not to focus on just that one pitch because it just got away from me.”
Cornell does seem to be doing something better with each and every start. She allowed five hits through each of her first two starts and then the ensuing starts allowed four, three and two in that order.
She is also a reliable pitcher to go deep into games as she pitched five innings in each of her first two starts, eight against Rutgers and seven against both FIU and Boston College.
“We’re definitely striving to win a [CAA] championship. James Madison is a really big competitor for us and we’re just trying to do our best against each team,” Cornell said.
James Madison University is currently sitting with a 12-2 record while the Pride is currently 5-5.
As the Pride continues its season, Cornell looks to continue her dominance when they begin conference play March 25 against James Madison.
The Hofstra Pride is hoping they found themselves a star pitcher with the ability to maintain her success throughout her career. So far, all factors are pointing in the right direction.