Megan Schmidt pitched a perfect game for North Callaway on Sept. 22.

The senior’s career has not been smooth all the way through, however. On Saturday, during a softball triangular in Harrisburg, Schmidt secured her 600th career strikeout and has also set a new school record with 17 strikeouts in 6⅔ innings of relief on Sept. 19 against Marceline.

Schmidt’s ERA hasn’t creeped up over 1.00 the past two years with her all-state junior season ERA finishing at 0.91 with a school-record 216 strikeouts through 123 innings and this year’s set at 0.69 with 16 strikeouts through 90⅔ innings. Prior to that, Schmidt had to deal with multiple injuries, including arm and hip, that slowed her progress as a high school pitcher.

“I wish I would’ve gotten it sooner, but being able to pitch is the biggest accomplishment for me after what I’ve had to go through in my high school career,” Schmidt said.

As a freshman, Schmidt said she wasn’t able to pitch much because of arm issues and only recorded 56 innings with a 4.00 ERA.

“Coming into high school, I had to completely start from the basics again with pitching because of injuries to my body,” Schmidt said. “Freshman year was a building back year for me.”

Her sophomore year wasn’t much easier as Schmidt said she had issues with her hips. She managed to throw more innings at 95⅔ innings with a 2.12 ERA. 

These individual medical problems added up to two and half years of recovery until Schmidt said she felt she was healthy again. She said she needed to build up her pitching foundation but knew there would be a reward at the end of the process.

“It was hard,” Schmidt said. “I would definitely say it helped me grow to who I am with the work ethic and just knowing that it will pay off eventually. If I keep working, I will get better and stronger.”

Head coach Mariah McKee said Schmidt is a great leader for the team and the team’s young pitchers. She said Schmidt had to endure a lot of physical therapy and summer workouts to become the shutdown ace she is today.

“She was very adamant in making sure she did her stretches,” McKee said. “She did her workouts for that PT building those muscles around there so she can be stronger.”

Schmidt said last year was her first “build up” season rather than the “build back” seasons she went through previously. After building back to her normal velocity and spin, she said those improved because she was stronger and more confident.

Now she has an all-state season to build off of, Schmidt said she hopes to “match it or beat it” however she can. The senior’s walks went down last year to 30 free passes in 123 innings, and she is at 18 through 90⅔ innings this year because Schmidt has focused on attacking the zone and being efficient.

“Last year was pretty good, but I definitely am faster and have a little more control and a little more maturity on the mound than I did last year,” Schmidt said. “It’s also working on my hitting and being an all-around effective player for my team.”

By the way, Schmidt leads North Callaway in on base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and RBIs and home runs through 17 games this year. 

The talent is evident, McKee said, after Schmidt finished with a school-record 216 strikeouts and became the first North Callaway pitcher to reach 600 career strikeouts since Danielle Cassidy. Schmidt had four 16-strikeout games before her 17-strikeout performance. 

That isn’t Schmidt’s whole story, however. McKee said a lot of hard work made her accomplishments possible.

“If there’s anybody that’s ever worked hard, it’s that kid,” McKee said. “She grinds year in, year out. She’s the epitome of what you put in, you’re going to get out.”

Schmidt said the most important thing to becoming a good high school softball pitcher is knowing there are teammates to depend on and not trying to do everything by yourself. She added she was able to rely on them while she was building back and now she can be focused on building up to a good conclusion for her career and her team.

“You do have a team out there,” Schmidt said. “They’re there for you, and they want to work for you to make that season what you want it to be.”