First-year star with “ridiculous” stats makes four Eagles to get the honor in several weeks
For the fourth time in less than two months, a member of the Kirkwood Community College Softball program has won national player of the week honors. First-year third base standout Jami Miller got the nod from the National Junior College Athletic Association for her performances the week of April 11-17.
Miller had a stellar week for Kirkwood, helping her team go 8-0 by hitting .682 (15-22) with 10 runs, one double, one triple, two home runs, seven RBI’s, one walk and three stolen bases. On April 13, in a doubleheader against Southwestern Community College, she went 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, one RBI and two stolen bases.
On April 15, in a doubleheader against Marshalltown Community College, Miller went 2-for-5 with three runs, one home run, four RBI’s and one stolen base. Then in a doubleheader against Dakota Tech on April 17, the freshman went an incredible 7-for-8 with four runs, one double, one home run, and one RBI.
The next day, in another doubleheader against NJCAA #11 Iowa Lakes Community College, the third baseman went 3-for-5 with one RBI and one walk. In game two, Miller supplied the game winning RBI in the top of the 7th inning. This season, Miller is batting .500 with 51 runs and 62 RBI’s.
Head Coach Joe Yegge called Miller “the spark plug” for the Eagles this season. “Her energy and enthusiasm brings so much to our lineup,” he observed. “Without Jami, who knows what we would have done this year? We are very blessed to have this type of player on our team, considering how late in the summer it was when we signed her. She has brought so much leadership to this team, that it is hard to put it into words.”
When Yegge struggles for those words, all he has to do is reach for the Kirkwood stat book.
“Jami has put up some ridiculous numbers, not only power but with speed, too. She got us 20 stolen bases, 5 triples to go along with 12 home runs. That is outstanding. You usually don’t find a player with her power that can run so well. Even playing the hot corner she has fielded a great .908 percentage,” Yegge added.
The first-year player was also a standout in her hometown high school in Genoa, Ill. Miller was a unanimous All-Conference player all four years of high school, an Illinois state “Super 60” player, and Dekalb County Player of the Year as a senior. Miller also was named the Genoa Kingston High School Batting Champion all four years.
Jami Miller plans to continue her studies and play at a four-year college or university following her Kirkwood graduation. She will likely graduate Kirkwood with an associate’s degree in exercise science.