Wallkill’s K cousins have 400 strikeouts between them

By Mike Zummo
Posted 5/8/24

Between the two of them, they’ve struck out more than 400 batters across two sports.

One is a senior on his way to the University of Texas once he graduates from Wallkill High School. The …

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Wallkill’s K cousins have 400 strikeouts between them

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Between the two of them, they’ve struck out more than 400 batters across two sports.

One is a senior on his way to the University of Texas once he graduates from Wallkill High School. The other is a sophomore, who could find herself all over the school’s record book by the time she graduates in 2026.

Senior Kyle DeGroat has been a member of the Panthers’ baseball team since he was a freshman and struck out his 200th career batter during the Panthers’ 12-0 win over the Saugerties Sawyers on April 29.

“It was definitely cool,” DeGroat said. “I had no idea I was even near it. I don’t really pay attention to stats too much. I really try to focus on the game and stats will show how I’m doing this year.”

DeGroat’s came three days after Emma Hunt struck out her 200th batter in the first inning in the softball team’s 5-2 loss to the Chester Hambletonians.

“It feels good,” Hunt said. “It helps show how much the work is finally paying off. It’s being shown. I’m lucky I have the ability to pitch a lot on this team and have the defense back behind me too.”

They’re more than just great pitchers in their respective sports. They’re also cousins, and Hunt was on hand when DeGroat struck out his 200th batter in Saugerties.

“It was pretty good,” Hunt said. “Our family was pretty happy about it. It was nice to share that with him.”

While DeGroat said he was unaware of how close he was to the milestone strikeout, Hunt was very aware that it was coming up, especially after she finished the Panthers’ previous game, a 1-0 loss to the New Paltz Huguenots, at 199.

She struck out the second batter of the game, Paige Niles, to record No. 200 during her second year in the circle. The only thing that dampened the milestone was that it came in a losing effort.

“She was close for a while and wanted it just as bad,” DeGroat said. “I was excited for when she got it being only a sophomore. I’m saying she’s going to get at least like 500 as she was gets stronger throughout the years and continues to compete.”

She’s already made a mark, striking out 145 batters as a freshman, nine off the school record for a single season. In more than two seasons, she has a chance to get the school record of 385 set by 2012 graduate Caitlyn Callas.

“I want to try and get to 400, but I’m not too worried about it,” Hunt said. “If this keeps going how it is, I want to make sections and go far, so I’m really worried about winning. But the record for strikeouts would be nice, too.”

Hunt and her team need to win one of their next two Mid Hudson Athletic League Division I games to qualify for the Section 9 Class AA tournament, or finish with a .500 or better overall record.

DeGroat and his team have clinched the MHAL Division I baseball championship and will play in the MHAL tournament on Saturday as they look to repeat as Section 9 champions.

“We have a lot in store for us, not only personally, but this team,” DeGroat said. “I feel like we’re just finding our stride.”