Kayti Grable, softball freshman first baseman, talked about her first season at NIU and her experiences adjusting to the college game during an interview with the Northern Star.

Grable was named MAC West Division Player of the Week March 17 after she batted .556 (10-18) with two home runs and four multi-hit games during the week of March 10 to 16.

Northern Star: How many college offers did you have coming out of Santana High School in Santee, Calif., and why did you decide to attend NIU to play softball?

Kayti Grable: I had a few. I decided to come to Northern because when I stepped on campus I fell in love with it. It’s a lot different from San Diego, so I really liked it, thought it was different, and it had a really good college atmosphere, so that’s why I chose it.

NS: How would you describe coach Christina Sutcliffe as a coach, and what stands out to you about her compared to other coaches you’ve had?

KG: Coach Sut’s amazing. I think she’s really personal, and that’s what makes her different. I think she cares for each one of us as people instead of just as someone she pays to play for her. I think it’s really nice that we get to have a personal connection instead of just a coach and player one.

NS: You’ve started all 22 games at either first base or catcher, and you’ve batted in the three- or five-hole, the heart of the order. Before the season began, did you expect to be playing as much as you have and in as big a role as you have?

KG: I was hoping to be in that type of role. I just knew if I kept working hard that I could have the opportunity to be in that role, so I’m happy to fill it.

NS: On the field, what was the biggest adjustment you’ve had to make at the college level?

KG: I think it’s dealing with the failure; softball’s a game of failure. I think all of us coming into college were pretty big high school players, so I think coming in and knowing that I’m not going to get on base every time or knowing that I’m going to get out three or four times a game; just dealing with the failure of softball.

NS: You struggled early on at the plate, batting .262 (11-42) in the first 14 games and then .556 (10-18) in the following six games. What’s the difference in hitting pitchers at the college level compared to in high school?

KG: I think the biggest thing for me was the pitchers’ locations. They’re a lot better at pinpointing and hitting their spots than they were in high school. The speed hasn’t really been a big factor for me yet, but I know that some pitchers are faster than the ones that I’ve been facing.

NS: The team has committed a combined 38 errors so far, but you’ve only committed two errors in 22 games. Is defense something you pride yourself on?

KG: Defense is very important to me. I think I take it more seriously than I do hitting just because I am a first baseman and I do get a lot of balls in my direction and I don’t want the momentum to be shifted by me making an error. So, yeah, I do my best.

NS: What area(s) do you feel you still need to improve in, and how do you improve?

KG: I think having more communication with the girls and the team; just playing in general. As the season progresses, I’ll get more comfortable with them, and I have already gotten a lot more comfortable with them. So I think that’s one thing that I can improve on.