For the Bakersfield College softball team, no athlete has made more of an impact in her team’s early-season success than sophomore catcher Kara Frankhouser.
Through the first seven games, Frankhouser has compiled the following stats, batting average .500, runs scored 10, hits 11, doubles 4, home runs 5, runs batted in 19, base on balls 6. Also of note, in 22 at bats, she has not struck out.
BC coach Sandi Taylor reminds Frankhouser that streaks come and go, but consistency and work ethic go a long way in determining overall success as an individual, and also as a team. “Our streaks are only as good as how long they last, and so that’s really behind us,” Taylor said.
“We close the door and move on to what our streak is tomorrow, so staying humble and continuing to work and get better, but besides getting better, going further and farther.”
In reference to what Frankhouser has accomplished at the plate, the coach mentions the tried and true one pitch at a time theory. “If you’re hitting like Kara, it’s got to be one pitch at a time for sure.”
When asked on what type of hitter she considered herself to be, Frankhouser had this to offer, “I consider myself a contact hitter with power. I have confidence in myself, and I would hope the coaches have the confidence in me that you could put me in a situation and expect me to put the ball somewhere.”
“So I do consider myself more of a contact hitter, I can put the ball where I want it or where we need it, and I think that is my raw strength. I think the home runs kind of come along with that. I want to be known more as a player that gets on base.”
The game of softball is a game of fractions in Frankhouser’s mind.
“The game really is also a game of inches, I mean an inch tells you if you’re safe or out, an inch tells you if it’s a home run or if it’s in the ball field.”
“So I think keeping that in mind too, keeps that excitement in the game,” said Frankhouse. “If I miss the pitch by an inch, I can ground out to the pitcher. If I hit it an inch more, I can hit it over the fence. I think that kind of excitement keeps it from being expected.”
Coming out of North High School in Bakersfield, Frankhouser had many choices on where to continue her education, and she made BC her choice by following advice given to her by her parents.
“BC was more of a heart thing, I have parents that kind of always raised me to follow my heart, to not just make a choice because I think it’s what’s right.
They’ve always just told me to listen to what my hearts telling me.”
While discussing the many choices she was presented with, she added, “I had opportunities out of BC, but I came here not on a whim, but more just on a ‘I’m going to try it and see how I do.’ And I fell in love with it.
“I love that human aspect, and the athletic aspect. I tell people all the time that BC was the best choice I ever made.”
She went on to mention that a lot of her friends from high school ended up going to very desirable schools and programs all around the country, but for her “Softball is more than just who you’re playing for and your competition, I think it’s more just how much fun you’re having.
I think my experience here is way more advanced than I ever would have had somewhere else.
“Personally, I clicked, I clicked with the coaches, I clicked with the program,” she said.