Miniscule E-R-A for I-R-A

SOLON - Emily Ira's pitching career has moved forward in increments. And they haven't been mere baby steps.

A serviceable backup two years ago, Ira has blossomed into one of the state's best pitchers for one of the state's top softball teams.

'She has really moved it up a level,” said Solon Coach Jim White. 'Her velocity is good. Her control is fantastic.”

And her ERA is nearly flawless.

Ira didn't allow her first earned run of the season until yielding a home run last week against Independence. She has surrendered just two earned runs (and only eight runs, total) in 106 innings for an ERA of 0.13.

The junior lefty is 17-0 with 183 strikeouts, compared to only 11 walks. Opponents are batting .108 against her.

She pitched a five-inning perfect game Tuesday in a double-header sweep of Anamosa that wrapped up the Wamac Conference East Division title for the Spartans (31-1 overall, 12-0 division).

'I started pitching when I was in fourth or fifth grade, and I was always a pretty average, normal pitcher,” Ira said. 'It wasn't until last year that I thought, ‘Oh gosh, I could be great.'”

Ira pitched 41 innings as a freshman, posted an 8-2 record as a backup to Arran Weeces. Since then, with Weeces at Coe College, the responsibility shifted to Ira and Holly Hinkel.

'I think we complement each other really well,” said Ira, who was 19-2 as a sophomore. '(Hinkel is) good at going down in the zone, and I can go up. She's right-handed and I'm left.

'I think it messes with batters.”

White said, 'The best thing about Emily is that she can go all directions - up, down, in, out.”

That, and increased maturity.

'My biggest struggle used to be that I would get down on myself,” Ira said. 'I can push myself harder now and tell myself that I'm OK.”

'When she does allow baserunners, she's able to bear down and get stronger,” White said.

More-than-adequate run suppost helps. The Spartans are scoring 7.8 runs per game.

Last year, Solon sailed through a low-adversity regular season, reached the state tournament, then was upset in the Class 4A quarterfinals and placed a disappointing sixth.

This time around, they've navigated through some minor injuries. Despite the 31-1 record, the Spartans are ranked only No. 4 in 4A.

'We're working on being tougher as a team when we get to the big games,” said Ira, who has committed to play at Western Illinois University. 'We want to keep pushing, every inning. We have high goals, but we know we have to work for it.”

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