Athletes at the collegiate level don't always specialize in their sport or position from the moment they can walk. Some athletes realize their talents with the help of parents, coaches, or through their own discovery. Softball may not have been senior pitcher Sarah Kleinfelter's favorite sport from the start, but both Mason and Kleinfelter are thankful that that's exactly how it ended up.
Kleinfelter started playing softball at the age of 11 only because her parents wanted her to give the sport a try. An avid soccer and basketball player, Kleinfelter wasn't sure how she'd like softball despite being a life-long Philadelphia Phillies fan.
“I grew up in a baseball household where we would sit down and watch every Phillies game during the season, so the sport wasn't foreign,” Kleinfelter said.
Despite her 41 career starts and 72 appearances in the circle for the Patriots, the senior started her career on the other side of home plate, as a catcher. Just like most kids growing up, Kleinfelter wanted to wear all of the gear associated with playing the position. Eventually the senior transitioned to pitcher when her coach realized she was one of the few players on the team who could consistently throw strikes.
Thanks to her coach's discovery, not only did the Warrenton, Va. native's team at the time benefit, but every team Kleinfelter would feature for afterwards greatly profited.
Kleinfelter has three distinct memories that she will always cherish about the game of softball. As a teenager, Kleinfelter led her select team, the Fauquier Freeze, to an Under-16 World Series title at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.
“We were underdogs and weren't expected to win the tournament,” Kleinfelter recalled. “It was more of a fun trip at first but then we played really well and were able to win it all.”
Another memorable moment was when she took her team all the way to the Virginia state title game as a senior at Fauquier High School. Kleinfelter pitched in every single game of her four-year Falcon career, making the state title game that year even more meaningful. Fauquier would fall in an agonizingly close final, 4-3, and Kleinfelter's storied high school career ending on a losing note, only added to the pain.
“It was one of the best games I've ever been a part of in terms of what was at stake and the intensity,” Kleinfelter said. “It was definitely heartbreaking because it was the furthest Fauquier softball had ever gone and we were one step away from making history.”
More recently, Kleinfelter remembers the unlikely run that Mason enjoyed in last year's Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. Mason was seeded fourth and defeated La Salle 2-1 before facing the tournament's first overall seed Dayton in the quarterfinals.
The Patriots would beat the Flyers 8-5 with Kleinfelter earning the win after 3.1 innings of relief work, setting up a matchup against the Rams of Fordham in the semi-finals.
The Patriots would go on to lose to the Rams and then fell in their rematch against the Flyers missing out on a birth in the championship game. Kleinfelter pitched well against Dayton and kept Mason within striking distance all game, as the Patriot hurler only gave up two runs in six innings of work.
“It was bittersweet to go home from [the Atlantic 10 Championship] last year,” Kleinfelter said. “No one expected us to win any games and we took everyone by surprise, especially by beating the regular season champion Dayton.”
Kleinfelter originally decided to commit to Mason because it was close to home and she wanted the family and friends who had supported her throughout the years to continue being able to watch her play. Kleinfelter's uncle, John Kleinfelter, is one of her biggest supporters and rarely misses a game regardless of the date, time or even weather.
Another factor in her decision was the fact that Kleinfelter's mom, Denise, also went to Mason and carrying on the Mason legacy was something important to the senior. Kleinfelter is very close with her immediate family and moving far away from them did not mesh with her ideals.
“My idol is my dad, he's the reason I love this sport and take it so seriously,” Kleinfelter said. “I look up to him more than anyone in the world, but I would not have made it this far without my mom, either. She is by far my biggest fan and cheerleader.”
Not to be left out, Kleinfelter considers her younger brother to be her best friend. Matthew Kleinfelter plays select baseball for the Richmond Braves and Kleinfelter hopes that one day she'll be able to support his career just like he's supported hers.
Although Kleinfelter has been lucky enough to avoid injury or other pitfalls along the journey of getting to her senior season at Mason, being a pitcher and the focal point of any game she features in carries its own type of pressure and expectations.
“Being a pitcher, you face adversity every time you step on the field to throw a single pitch,” Kleinfelter said. “Whether it is the umpire, hitters, field conditions or any other outside factor, it's why not everyone is a pitcher. The mental side of this game is way harder to overcome than the physical side.”
With conference play heating up in her final season as a Patriot, Kleinfelter's opinion on the current Mason squad compared to previous teams she has played on is extremely qualified.
“This Mason team is different than the past few years because of the pure talent everyone has,” Kleinfelter said. “Everyone on the team brings something different, something talented.”
Regardless of how the team performs on the field the rest of the way, there's no question how much Kleinfelter has appreciated her teammates throughout her career as a Patriot. The tight-knit bonds created through four years won't just end when the final out is called.
“The girls on this team are the absolute best teammates and friends I could ever ask for,” Kleinfelter said. “They are one of the biggest reasons I have loved my college career here at Mason, they are life-long friends who I wouldn't trade for the world.”
