By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SCIO, Ore.– Scio’s Myleigh Cooper has never been the type to focus on personal achievements. She just wants to just be the best that she can be for her team on a game-in and game-out basis.
Monday afternoon was no different as she and Cam Dalke worked through a few pitches to make sure they’re in tune for Tuesday’s 3A State Semi Final game with South Umpqua, a rematch of last year’s 3A State Title Game.
But through the last three years, Cooper has established herself as one of those generational talents for the Loggers. Entering the playoffs, Cooper had 80 career victories. The two she picked up in the postseason have put her in a two-way tie for fourth All-Time in Career victories, and she’s closing in on 1,000 career strikeouts. She sat at 942, entering the postseason, and is currently in the Top 10 All-Time in that.
Hitting wise, Cooper has already broken the Single-Season record, currently sitting at 26 on the year and in the second round of the 3A State Playoffs, broke the All-Time Career Home Run record. Surpassing Marist Catholic-grad Ariel Carlson’s 72 career home runs, whom she was tied with entering the playoffs, against Elmira/Mapleton with a three Home Run game to put her at 75 career Home Runs. Not to mention that Cooper has surpassed 230 career RBIs with Cooper now sitting at 233.
“The journey has been crazy. It’s been a lot of tears and happy moments. I’ve met some of the best people in my whole entire life through my whole entire softball journey. Without those hard days, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today and wouldn’t been able to think about that record,” starts Cooper. “When I go up to bat, I’m just trying to hit balls hard and have good at-bats. Having a home run as an end result is great, but it’s not ultimately I’m trying to do every time I’m up to bat.”
With all the accolades, Cooper was still practicing hard on Monday. Making sure her pitches are dialed in.
Growing up watching her sister MaKenna and assistant coach Ashton Zeiher play on those Scio State Semi-Finalist teams, Cooper knows how much this program means to the community down in Scio and it’s something she’s grateful to be apart of as the Loggers enter their final game at home on Tuesday afternoon.
“When I was little, I saw how the community rallies around the softball team from when my sister and Ashton played, and it’s great to see how the community has came back to that. Our whole community really gets involved. I’m just super grateful and blessed to be back in this moment and be able to compete for another Championship.”
First pitch at Scio High School against South Umpqua will be at 5pm.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
