Kenna Wise is about to enter exclusive company as a member of the 100-100 club.
The Clever senior shortstop has 105 career stolen bases and 97 career hits. All this after she had her sophomore season wiped out due to COVID-19 and the Lady Jays also missed out on Districts last season due to a quarantine.
Wise has been exceptionally proficient on the basepaths. In fact, when she was caught stealing earlier this season by East Newton, it marked the first time in her career she hadn’t been successful on a stolen-base attempt.
Wise was 47-for-47 on stolen bases as a freshman and 42-for-42 as a junior. Entering this weekend, she is 16-for-17 this season.
Needless to say, she has the green light to steal whenever she is on base,
“I’m basically going to test (the oppsiing catcher) the whole time,” Wise said. “I’m wanting to go, no matter what. Both of our coaches know that.”
Wise feels her jump off the bag as soon as the opposing pitcher releases the ball is as important as her speed and quickness.
“I’ve had a lot of years practicing on my timing,” she said. “I think that’s been a big key in my stealing bases. I take off as soon as I can.”
“She can go anytime,” Clever coach Cheryl Grant said. “She reads the pitch well, gets a great jump and slides well to avoid the tag."
If there’s one opposing catcher Wise relishes the chance to try to run on it is undoubtedly Crane catcher Danielle Cutbirth. They are former club ball teammates and Wise previously attended school at Crane.
Wise and Cutbirth will see each other Saturday at the Forsyth Tournament.
“She knows me well and knows I’m going to be going,” Wise said. “She has a great arm. Out of everyone I can think of, she’s probably the one I’m most worried about running against.”
As a slap-hitting lead-off hitter, Wise is attempting to put her name on another short list by finishing with a career batting average of .500 or better. She hit .589 as a freshman, .514 as a junior and is hitting .436 this season.
Clever (6-5), which won the Buffalo Tournament championship last weekend, has won three of its last four games going into today's home contest with Ash Grove.
