The moment the ball left Leah Mitchener’s bat, she didn’t need to watch it for long.
The Kings High School slugger felt it.
The swing — a rally-capping home run — punctuated a 6-0 rivalry win at Lebanon on Monday, the kind of moment Mitchener had been chasing throughout her prep career.
“We haven’t beaten them on their field since I’ve been in high school,” said Mitchener, a senior third baseman. “So that was really, really important to me.”
The blast served as a snapshot of who Mitchener has become — a power hitter, a steady defender and a leader capable of delivering in big moments. Mitchener jumpstarted Kings with an RBI single in the sixth inning before the Knights reeled off five straight runs in the seventh.
Kings coach John Schablein said he wasn’t surprised.
“She’d gone 0-for her last couple games,” Schablein said. “But no, it didn’t surprise me. That’s the girl you want up at the plate.”
Mitchener’s aggressive, confident swing has produced throughout her career. Entering her senior season, she owned a .355 career batting average with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in just over 60 games.
As a junior, she emerged as one of the area’s most dangerous hitters, batting .373 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs while posting a .920 slugging percentage.
“She swings the bat,” Schablein said. “You see how she swings it. She’s aggressive.”
Her impact extends well beyond the batter’s box.
At third base, Mitchener anchors the infield with the same confidence she shows at the plate. Schablein considers her among the best defenders he’s coached.
“She’s as good a defensive third baseman as I’ve seen,” Schablein said. “She could play shortstop, she could play center field. She’s that kind of athlete.”
That versatility stems from a multi-sport background. Mitchener played basketball, tennis and track growing up before ultimately focusing on softball.
“I just stuck with it,” she said. “I got better at that one and ran with it.”
Her development earned her a college opportunity. Mitchener is committed to Delaware State, where she expects to contribute early.
“I wanted to go down south,” Mitchener said. “But when I went to camp, I could just tell they believed in me (at Delaware State). It felt like the right place.”
Her focus, however, remains on a 9-0 Kings team — ranked second in MaxPreps’ Division II state poll behind Anthony Wayne, which beat Kings in last year’s regional finals.
The win over defending Division I state champion Lebanon offered a glimpse of that potential.
“Absolutely, this shows our potential,” Mitchener said. “Our energy is great, and we just love each other so much.”
That connection was evident in the game’s defining sequence. After senior catcher Julia Lowry’s patient at-bat ahead of her put a runner on base, Mitchener delivered.
“The key was the walk before her,” Schablein said. “But Leah’s the one you want there. She took care of it.”
“The hard work pays off,” Mitchener added. “This was just such a great feeling.”
