GROVE CITY - Last year, Katie Sonntag was just one player in a crowd.

Surrounded by eight seniors who led the Grove City High School softball team to a 23-1 record a season ago, Sonntag was content to live in the shadows.

Not this season.

Now a senior on a very young team, Sonntag is not only leading with her vocal cords but also with her hitting and pitching.

"I'm not a really quiet person," Sonntag said. "Last year, I kind of was because we had all those seniors. It's usually pretty easy for me to be loud, and 99 percent of them listen and want to hear what I have to say."

Sonntag is perhaps speaking the loudest with her skills on the field for the 10-4 Eagles.

In the circle, she is 9-4 with a 1.56 earned run average. In 80

innings, Sonntag has struck out 94, walked just nine and has given up just 47 hits.

Batters are hitting .162 against her.

Grove City coach Shawnee Denbow saw a glimpse of Sonntag's pitching potential in 2003.Pitching sparingly because of the dominance of Carley Bell, Sonntag gave up just one hit in 12 innings, striking out nine and walking three."She had a one-hitter last year and a no-hitter," Denbow said. "We knew we were going to have to rely on her completely this year."I expected her to be good. I didn't expect her to be as tough as she has been."Sonntag throws about 51 mph, which is a pretty good clip for a softball pitcher. She also throws an assortment of breaking pitches and a changeup.She is also left-handed, which is a rarity for a softball pitcher."She has a curveball that breaks away from a left-hander batter and she has a screwball that breaks away from a right-hander batter," Denbow said.Although this is the first season Sonntag has pitched regularly on the varsity level - she saw plenty of innings in junior varsity games - she has worked diligently on her craft.She also perfected a rising pitch that she uses when in jams. That came during long and grueling pitching sessions with assistant coach Marty Ruley."Lots and lots and lots of repetition," Sonntag said. "I'd be like, 'Ten more?' and Mr. Ruley would say, 'How about 20 more.' I'd say, 'OK. Twenty sounds good.'"But Sonntag isn't all pitch, no hit. Her season at the plate has been just as jaw dropping.The left-handed hitter is batting .471 with 18 runs, four doubles, two triples and 13 stolen bases this season. In 54 plate appearances, she has yet to strike out.Her hitting is a stark contrast to last season when she struggled early and pressed all season.At one point last year, Sonntag was hitting .100."My hitting was definitely really bad last year," Sonntag said. "This year it's, 'Hey, I can hit again.'"She ended up with a respectable .284 average last season, but it wasn't the kind of year she expected.So, as she did with her pitching, Sonntag spent the off-season honing her hitting skills, too."I really wanted to prove myself," Sonntag said. "Last year, I was hitting it at people. This year, they are getting through."Sonntag is also an accomplished gymnast, competing in Level 9 regularly.She placed third in all-around routine and second on the balance beam at a recent competition.Sonntag will attend Penn State University next year but doesn't have plans to play softball at the school beyond intramural leagues."I want to focus on my studies my first year," Sonntag said. "Then, who knows? Stranger things have happened."Denbow said there is nothing strange about Sonntag's play."You know what, I've had some good pitchers and some good batters in the past," Denbow said. "But Katie is one of the best all-around players I have ever coached."