Maddie Griffin doesn't try to hide the fact that she is a numbers person

Maddie Griffin isn’t one to shy away from discussing her prowess in the realm of numbers. It's a talent that drew her to pursue an undergraduate degree in accounting, and one that she'll be completing in a couple of weeks, despite still being a junior at IUP.

However, if you were to ask Griffin about her batting average, don't expect an immediate response. In fact, she wasn't even aware of hitting over .400 this season until Crimson Hawks coach Shawna Bellaud informed her.

Now, the name Maddie Griffin might ring a bell with those who followed her high school career. A pitching machine who threw seven perfect games and struck out batters at video game levels. When she arrived at IUP last year after a season at Youngstown State - where she pitched 6 2/3 innings over five appearances for the Penguins - Bellaud saw more value in Griffin's bat in the box and glove in the field than limiting her to the pitcher's circle.

"Her bat and the way she plays the outfield is second to none. I’ve never seen anything like it here at IUP. She covers a lot of ground in the outfield. ... She’s grabbing balls that I haven’t seen many athletes grab."

Griffin concluded the regular season with a formidable batting average of .413. Her contributions in the seventh spot for batting average and ninth for on-base percentage throughout the PSAC are noteworthy, aiding the Crimson Hawks in securing the division's final playoff spot with a 15-13 record in the PSAC West.

Her statistics show a significant improvement from last season, where she readily admits to still shaking off some rust. After all, she hadn't touched a bat regularly since her senior year at Ligonier Valley, with only one token at-bat at YSU to her name.

One major factor limiting her offense last season was getting out of the box too quickly on slap attempts, often resulting in an out. This season, she has drastically reduced such instances. Plus, Bellaud has granted her more freedom at the plate.

"I would say I’m comfortable doing something different every at-bat. Most hitters come up to the plate, and they have the same sort of plan. I can hit. I can slap. I can bunt. I get to do whatever I want whenever I get up to the plate."

Shifting her focus to the outfield - her domain is right field - also required some adjustment. During her youth, high school, and travel days, when she wasn't pitching, she was usually found in the infield.

As she advanced, her speed began to develop, aiding her in covering vast areas of the outfield. She has also benefited from agility and first-step quickness drills that Bellaud put her through.

Playing a position other than pitcher wasn't part of her plan when transitioning to the college ranks, but it seems she has discovered her niche.

"Being a position player definitely opened up a few windows I never really had a chance to look into before because I’ve always been Maddie the pitcher, not Maddie the athlete. It’s cool to show off the athleticism that’s always been there, too.

"I miss (pitching) every day. I just like controlling a game. I think that was my biggest thing."

While Griffin prefers not to keep close tabs on her stats, there are two numbers she's keenly aware of: 100 and 0.

One hundred is the milestone she aims to reach for career hits, which, barring any injury, she'll likely achieve early next season.

The zero? It represents the number of home runs she's hit in her college career. Just one will do the trick.

"Man, I really want to hit a ball over the fence. ... But that’s not what my team really needs me to do."