Comet Tayler Schmidt signs to play softball at NIACC

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Tayler Schmidt may not have the size of a quintessential power hitter, but try to bust her inside with a fastball and you may be dousing fire with kerosene.

With a fine-tuned swing and quicksilver bat speed, the Charles City senior not only can go yard but go parking lot as well — more than a handful of her home runs qualify as tape-measured shots.

As a junior on Charles City’s softball team, which finished fourth in Class 4A at the State Softball Tournament last summer, Schmidt led the Comets with a .464 average and 55 runs scored, and tied for team lead in hits (58) and doubles (18).

Schmidt also had 7 home runs, was successful in all of her 25 steal attempts, a reliable middle infielder who can play third in a pinch, and was 8-1 with an earned run average of 2.41 as the Comets’ No. 2 starting pitcher.

Schmidt may not be the quintessential power hitter, but she sure is the quintessential “five-tool player”.

“We’re big into power and speed, and Tayler fits right into that,” North Iowa Area Community College softball coach Dan Gratz said shortly before Schmidt signed her letter of intent to continue her softball career as a Trojan on Jan. 12.

“She’s going to be a big-time player for us,” Gratz said. “We play a shortened season in the fall so we’re excited to have her play for us right after she finishes high school.”

Schmidt had made her final decision to play for NIACC just a week before she signed. An all-conference outside hitter for Charles City’s 2016 state-qualifying volleyball team, and a multiple state-qualifier in track, Schmidt also considered continuing those sports in college.

But in having to choose one of the three, softball most definitely was No. 1 on her list.

“I’ve been playing it since I was a little girl,” Schmidt said. “My dad and my uncles are good players, and they helped teach me the game right from the start.

“I learned a lot from them.”

Akin to Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, known as “Mr. October” due to his postseason heroics, Schmidt has also come through in the postseason as she has hit three home runs during state tournament play during her Comet career — two last season, and one the year before when Charles City finished fifth after winning the consolation bracket.

“It would be great to get down to state a third time,” Schmidt said of the forthcoming softball season, her last as a Comet.

“We’re going to expect a lot out of Tayler and some of our returning players this season,” Comet softball coach Brian Bohlen said.

You can also compare Schmidt to another HOFer — Ted Williams, or rather a right-handed version of him as both are dead pull hitters … though Schmidt has yet to face a pronounced defensive shift.

“I don’t know if I could hit to right field even if I tried,” Schmidt said.

If she ever does, you’d be advised not to park your vehicle beyond the right-field fence.