After leading the Wolfpack in on-base percentage (.394) and stolen bases (17 for 17) in 2018, Sam Russ is ready to add an even flashier weapon to her game.
The sophomore outfielder has fully bought into new head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift’s “home-run mindset” and has embraced the power that her sweet left-handed swing can generate.
“It’s a good feeling, having outfielders back up when you come to the plate,” Russ said, “knowing at any point you can hit it out.”
A speedy, slap-hitting leadoff hitter the majority of her life, Russ’ swing caught the eye of Patrick-Swift early on.
“Day one, when I saw her natural lefty swing,” Patrick-Swift said. “I knew that we could get power, we could get pop.”
A right-handed hitter for the first six or seven years of her softball career, Russ cites a midsummer switch to hitting left-handed when she was 13 as the beginning of her love for softball.
“Swinging left-handed just came more naturally to me,” Russ said. “As soon as I turned around and hit left-handed… that’s when I really fell in love with softball and knew that was the game for me.”
Transitioning from a slap hitter to a power hitter isn’t an easy task, and Russ didn’t make that switch overnight. All throughout practices and scrimmages during the fall, Russ fine-tuned her swing to generate the type of power she is capable of.
“She was one of the first ones that seemed to understand it,” Patrick-Swift said. “She made the body adjustments and had the body awareness.”
Although a catchy phrase, the home-run mindset of Patrick-Swift isn’t strictly to swing for the fences every at-bat and go all or nothing. In addition to the physical aspects necessary to adopt the home-run mindset, such as fine-tuning her swing, Russ has had to adopt a mental approach that is a lot different than that of a slap hitter.
“I like to think that when I step into the box, I’m in scoring position,” Russ said. “I can score a run for my team as soon as I step into the box.”
Russ’ longtime bread and butter, however, is her speed. As one of the fastest players in the ACC, Russ led the Wolfpack in stolen bases in 2018 and wasn’t thrown out a single time. Every time she gets on base, she is a threat to steal a base, a skill that just comes naturally to her.
“My mindset is… I need to get myself into scoring position,” Russ said. “I’m confident I can do that off of most catchers.”
An excellent baserunner her whole life, Russ’ key to success is getting good jumps, something she is good at partially as a result of paying attention pregame.
“It’s all about the jump,” Russ said. “I look at the pitcher while she’s warming up to understand her windup and when I’ll need to go. Then it’s just all about getting that good jump.”
As fast and adept a baserunner as Russ is, she wasn’t given the green light very often last year, roughly only once every three games. However, Patrick-Swift knows a weapon like Russ shouldn’t be left unused.
“If we can get her to the next base, we’re going to,” Patrick-Swift said. “When she gets a good jump, she can beat out any catcher in the country.”
Through five games, the Wolfpack is 3-2 with a win over No. 7 Arizona under its belt already. Hitting out of the leadoff spot, Russ has been a catalyst for the offense, and her coach expects her to keep it up.
“The kid’s just a great ballplayer,” Patrick-Swift said. “The sky’s the limit.”
