Representing one’s country in international competition is an honor most athletes never get to experience.
As this past high school softball season so clearly indicated, Keagan Rothrock isn’t like most athletes.
Rothrock, the hard-throwing sophomore pitcher whose dominance on the hill led Roncalli to the Class 4A state championship, has been named to USA Softball’s U18 junior women’s national team.
The Whiteland resident is one of 16 players competing for Team USA, which plays in the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Cup in Lima, Peru, from Aug. 28 to Sept. 5. The squad is scheduled to take part in the Junior Pan American Games in Barranquilla, Columbia, starting in late-November.
Rothrock made the team following a selection process held at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Okla.
“It’s pretty exciting, actually,” said Rothrock, who turned 16 in January and is believed to be the youngest player on the USA roster. “There were 33 players who tried out and 16 that made it with two replacement athletes.
“I was kind of surprised I made it because I’m so young, and about half of the girls had already completed their first year of college.”
Rothrock is one of two players from Indiana to make Team USA, the other being University of Kentucky infielder Erin Coffel, who as a high school junior helped lead Bremen to a Class 2A state championship. The Team USA pitching staff includes incoming Arizona State freshman Mac Morgan, Clemson standout Valerie Cagle and LSU signee Raelin Chaffin.
The tryouts in Oklahoma City were a two-day process during which Rothrock took part in situations in which she could demonstrate her talents in both game and individual settings.
“It was very nerve-racking the first day,” she said.
Nonetheless, the talents that allowed the 5-foot-10 right-hander to finish Roncalli’s season with a 24-2 record, microscopic 0.13 earned-run average and a jaw-dropping 364 strikeouts in only 160 1/3 innings of work eventually rose to the surface.
Earlier this month, Rothrock was named Gatorade Indiana Softball Player of the Year.
“Based on age, there’s obviously a range from kids who are going to be juniors in high school to sophomore in college. I’m not surprised she’s one of the best pitchers under 18,” Roncalli softball coach David Lauck said. “This is just super exciting for her on a personal level.
“Keagan has put in the work and continues to do mature things to put herself in these positions. She’s very unique, but I’m not surprised with all she’s accomplished.”
