The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has already made a big impact on the 2021 college softball season as Texas All-American pitcher Miranda Elish announced on Friday that she made the “difficult decision to not participate” this year.
The senior right-handed pitcher went 11-3 in 2020 with 11 complete games, a 1.25 ERA and had 96 strikeouts in 84 innings to lead the Longhorns to a 24-3 and Top 5 national ranking before the season was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Miranda also batted .370 with 19 RBIs.
The Texas Longhorn softball program posted the following statement from the athlete on its Twitter page on Friday:
Statement from Texas' Miranda Elish on the difficult decision to not participate in the 2021 season because of her concerns over the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/i2ozwk3C5n
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) January 15, 2021
The Big 12 school also posted a note of gratitude for what Miranda has brought to the program over the last two years:
Thank you so much for all you've done for our Longhorns program Miranda! You provided all of us with too many great moments to count. We love you and will miss having you here with us in 2021.
You're always and forever a member of our #TexasFamily! 🤟 pic.twitter.com/c2dkKKLYXm
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) January 15, 2021
I reached out to Miranda and her family Friday night and the senior’s mother, Dawn, said:
“She’s finishing school right now. This was tough, but it was the right decision for her. As for future plans I’m not really sure what you can say. I know she wants to stay in the game in some capacity. Time will tell. It’s a sad time.”
Miranda has had great success in her career going all the way back to her days in high school and club ball.
From Crown Point, Indiana, she was a three-time Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year and I had her ranked as the #1 player in the Class of 2016. As a senior she went 15-2 record with a 0.41 ERA, 196 strikeouts in 103 innings and on offense produced a .505 batting average, seven home runs and 26 RBIs. She was a three-time First Team All-State selection as well.
Miranda also helped lead her Beverly Bandits 16U team to a PGF National Championships in 2013. What was interesting about that title is the Bandits went 0-2-1 in pool play before turning it up a notch to win eight games including the title win at Cal State Fullerton, a 2-0 shutout by Miranda over the OC Batbusters.
In those eight wins Miranda had a 0.86 ERA and struck out 33 in 40 innings with her power, rise ball and bulldog attitude in the circle.
Bill Conroy, who oversees the Bandits organization, said Saturday morning: “As a player for me at the travel ball level, she helped us go from being the ‘best team in the Midwest’ to arguably being the best team in the country. Our winning PGF National in 2013 and Boulder in 2015 was greatly due to Miranda.”
He added: “I don’t know if the Beverly Bandits organization would have had the additional seven national championships after her if it wasn’t for breaking down those barriers in 2013. It helped attract other players and give the ones we had the mindset that we were as good as anybody. And Miranda was as competitive in the circle as any player I’ve ever coached.”
Here’s a video I shot when with Student Sports in 2013 right after a young Miranda won the 16U club title:
Miranda signed with Oregon out of high school and played for Coach Mike White there before transferring with teammate Lauren Burke in 2018 to follow their head coach to Texas.
I had a chance to catch up with Miranda this fall at the Bolts 5-Star event in Alabama. Miranda was helping coaching the Florida Impact team and was as happy and energetic as I’ve ever seen her.
Perhaps coaching is in her future as she had a great way with the young players and with her stellar softball resume from youth ball up through college, she certainly can get young players’ attention!
According to the Texas Longhorn profile page on Miranda, she’s majoring in Physical Culture & Sports so maybe working with younger plays is a possibility.
Whatever she does, we wish Miranda the very best and will be rooting for her wherever she goes and in whatever she does in the future.
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
