Strike 'em out, take 'em deep

Sammy Snygg's future roommate probably will be glad to hear that she's not bringing her softball collection to Creighton this fall.

The Bluejay recruit from Iowa has kept every home run ball she's ever hit for North Polk High School, and they're perched on a shelf that encircles her room. The balls, marked with the date, the opponent and the score, total 49, which happens to be the most home runs in Iowa softball history.

What would be really overwhelming is if she had the ball from every strikeout of her pitching career. That collection would number 2,196, also best in Iowa high school history.

The numbers add to up to the reason that CU coach Brent Vigness identified Snygg (pronounced snag) as the No. 1 prospect for her class.

“She can get it done both ways, in the circle and at the plate,'' Vigness said. “I pursued her pretty hard.''

Snygg, who signed her letter of intent last November, said Creighton is a perfect fit. The co-valedictorian in her class, with a 4.06 grade-point average, she hopes to be a pediatrician. She also wanted to go somewhere close to home, but not too close.

Snygg, who was in Omaha this week for orientation, said she's eager to start practicing with the Bluejays in August and see how she fits in.

“Hopefully I'll be able to be an important part of the team,” she said, “and be an asset to the team.”

Vigness said Snygg gives the Bluejays an option they haven't had since the playing days of assistant coach Abby Johnson, the Missouri Valley player of the year in 2005.

“She can help at the plate, which is something we haven't had a pitcher do in a long time,'' he said. “She has a legitimate chance of being able to help us both ways.''

He said Snygg also will give Creighton some continuity when senior Tara Oltman leaves the program after next season. Oltman, a three-time All-American and Missouri Valley pitcher of the year, has the league and school records with 86 career wins and also owns school records for career appearances (135) and complete games (93).

That will give Snygg some new numbers to chase. She said she's been aiming for the Iowa career strikeout record since she was in the eighth grade, when she started playing for North Polk.

Thursday against Panorama, Snygg toppled the record of 2,175 set by Woodward-Granger's Jen Bice, who went on to play at Iowa State.

“Just knowing her and looking up to her made me want to reach toward that goal,'' Snygg said.

The game was stopped after the record pitch, and Snygg said the whole event before a big crowd was exciting. “Just to know all the hours of practice had finally paid off,'' she said.

Snygg has 12 home runs this season and said she didn't know she was closing in on the record of 47 until she was just three or four away. She became first on that list on senior night in June.

Vigness says the drive Snygg has shown in breaking both records underscores her competitiveness. She's done it despite tendinitis in her arm that has cut into her practice time.

“We're excited about her,'' Vigness said. “She's a real quality pitcher — and along with that, a heck of a hitter.''

Snygg has picked up the nickname “Sammy Strikeout” while pursuing the pitching record. That's also something she'd like to leave behind when she comes to Creighton.

“It doesn't really bother me,'' she said. “I'm not a huge fan of it.”

Contact the writer:

444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com

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