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June 21, 2012

Mancelona’s Derrer nets records for triples

BY JAMES COOK jcook@record-eagle.com

MANCELONA — For being so fast, Dakota Derrer doesn't steal that many bases.

Of course, it's a little difficult to steal all that often when you're on third base most of the time.

In a softball version of a triple-double, the Mancelona sophomore set what is believed to be the Michigan state record with 20 three-baggers this season, and that number also ties the existing National Federation of High School Associations national record.

In a May 29 doubleheader against Ski Valley Conference foe Central Lake, Derrer pounded out three triples — her 18th, 19th and 20th of the season. The first tied for the state record (set by South Haven's LeAnn Covey in 1993), the second broke it and the third tied her for the national mark with Alabama's Haley Wilkins, who had 20 in 2003.

Not long before that, she didn't realize that such a record was within her grasp.

"I definitely didn't know," Derrer said. "I was coming back from a game and was talking to my brother (Dustin) and said I got another triple. And he said, 'You're probably close to a record.'"

They looked it up, and she was indeed only one away from the state record of 18.

The only problem? The team had just one doubleheader left in the regular season.

As it turns out, it wasn't a big deal. Derrer smacked one triple in the first game of a road twinbill with Central Lake and added two more in the nightcap.

"She's a full hitter," said Ironmen coach Rich Dickerson, who finished his sixth year as coach and eighth in the program. "Every time she bats, she doesn't get cheated. ... I think she's one of the best I've seen as a lead-off hitter."

Derrer's addition to the NFHSA record book will give Michigan five of the top seven in single-season triples.

With two seasons left, she's already tied for 11th in Michigan career history.

One of Derrer's goals now is to break the career record, which she's on pace to do if she can keep up her current rate. The state — and national — marks are held by Lansing Catholic's Jodi Every (1996-99) with 48. Derrer has 25 after two seasons.

"It's just running the bases smartly," said Derrer, who has a 4.0 GPA. "I beat a lot of throws to third."

A three-sport athlete who also plays volleyball and hockey as a defenseman for the Bay Reps, Derrer ended the season with six doubles — less than one-third of her triples total — to go along with three home runs (all of the over-the-fence variety), 21 RBIs and 22 walks. As far as not getting a lot of steals, she hit fewer singles (18) than triples as she had a .511 batting average and 1.109 slugging percentage.

She scored 62 runs in 32 games, hitting lead-off in every Mancelona game this season.

"She's kind of undecided if she wants to pursue softball or hockey in college," Dickerson said. "She's perfectly capable of both."

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