Centerburg's Abby Herren ties Ohio high school softball HR record

CENTERBURG – Ahead in the count and with history on the line, Centerburg senior shortstop Abby Herren called a timeout in the first inning of her team’s first postseason game May 14. It wasn’t to clear dust from her eyes, which would have been understandable given the steady breeze that pushed wind chills into the low 50s. And Herren said it was not because she was on the cusp of solidifying herself as one of Ohio high school softball ’s all-time best home run hitters.

“Sometimes I call time to give myself a second,” she said. “I’m in charge of my at-bat … so I want to be able to calm down and think. ” Herren made the at-bat her own – again – by belting her 23rd home run of the season to straightaway center field.

That pushed Herren, a Miami University signee, into a four-way tie for first place in state history when it comes to home runs in a single season. “I wasn’t even thinking about that; maybe a double in the gap to start us off,” Herren said after a 12-1 win over visiting Marion Pleasant in a Division V district tournament first-round game. “I think I just got all of that one.

” Herren, whose . 693 batting average leads central Ohio and ranks fourth statewide, according to MaxPreps, will go for the outright record May 15 at Loudonville in a Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference game. If she doesn’t get it then, her next chance will be May 18 when the Trojans (21-3) – seeded third in the district – host No.