By Staff
Danville sophomore swipes 76 bags
Nick Johnston, Hartselle Enquirer
DANVILLE – She's being charged with 76 counts of robbery.
She's a known thief, who makes a catcher tremble.
Kristy Roberts, who attended school in Hartselle before starting at Danville, stole 76 bases in the 2003 softball season – a state record.
Roberts said she has no secret.
"I just go hard and run all the way through," the Lady Hawks' sophomore said. "It's just all speed. I really haven't had any instruction."
Roberts broke the old record of 72 set by Carrolton's Ann Stepp in 2000.
She also holds the fifth-best mark in stolen bases, swiping 60 in 2001 as an eighth grader. In her three-year varsity career, she's stolen close to 200 bases.
"A lot of my steals have been from second base to third," Roberts said. "I'll run halfway, and when the catcher throws back to the pitcher, I break for third."
Perhaps what is most amazing is Roberts was a perfect 76 for 76 this past season.
"It feels good to have a state record," she said.
But Roberts' talents aren't just on the base pads. She hit .549 this season, which followed years of hitting .586 and .590 in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
She qualified for the state track meet last year in the 100m and 200m. She did not run track this year because, she said, it interfered with softball season.
With two years remaining in her high school career, one thing remains on Roberts' mind – stealing.
"I want to keep my record," she said. "Hopefully, I can beat it and just get faster."
The Danville Lady Hawks this year reached the Class 3A Sub-state round against Ashville. Ashville swept the best-of-three series with 5-2 and 1-0 wins.
In the second game of the series, Roberts stole four bases.