By Jeff Holt
Published May 27, 2021 in The Burg
Emily Blucker has been clearly dominant in her first season of softball at Olivet Nazarene University.
Against Calumet St. Joe on Friday, April 23rd, she threw the first no-hitter since Virginia McAndrews in 2014 and the 13th in school history.
Then, her individual stats on the mound have been nothing less than superb. Her freshman stat line includes 16 appearances, a 7-0 record, a 1.19 E.R.A, two saves, 53 innings of work, 50 strikeouts, 12 walks, three shutouts, and a .187 opponent batting average.
"Overall I would credit our team success this season to working hard every day in the off season and respecting one another," said a humble Blucker. "Knowing that we each have a job and doing each job has contributed a lot to our success."
She added, "This past season has been an absolute blast."
But one game does stand out for the 6-foot-3 pitcher from Galesburg. It was against No. 1 seeded Wesleyan University (in their bracket) at a tournament.
"In the sixth inning, the score was 2-1," she said. "With one runner on second base, I came in and threw six strikeouts in a row to end the threat. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before."
At press time, Blucker and the Nazarene softball team were headed to the NAIA World Series in Columbus, Georgia. They are one of 10 remaining teams within the affiliation and they are currently seated third. Their first game is today at 7 p.m. EST against Madonna University.
Locally, several people still remember Blucker playing a big part in helping the Galesburg Silver Streaks softball team win a regional championship in 2019.
But even beyond softball, her future looks extremely bright. Her major is nursing and she has a 3.6 overall grade point average.
"I have absolutely loved my first year of college," Blucker said. "I was fortunate to have multiple in person classes which allowed me to stay engaged and actively learning. It was definitely difficult at times but I have learned how to find joy in every valley."