BEVERLY, Massachusetts — Kristen Beebe ended her Exeter High School career as a two-time New Hampshire Division I softball Pitcher of the Year award winner, helping the Blue Hawks capture the state championship as a junior in 2022, when she was also the state's Gatorade Softball Player of the Year .
Beebe, who knew she would be stepping up a level in competition at Division III Endicott College, rose to the challenge in her freshman season in spring 2024.
"Everyone's the best from their high school team, the best from their travel ball team and everyone is there to play because they want to ... I know everyone is there to play and compete," Beebe said. "I just went into my freshman year knowing that I had to compete for my spot ... so I knew it was going to be a step up, but I was just calm and ready for it, and worked as hard as I could to be ready."
Beebe led the team with a 1.83 ERA, was second in wins with eight and also second on the team in strikeouts with 71.
She had 76.2 innings pitched in 15 appearances (13 starts). Beebe also was second on the team with a 1.11 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), trailing sophomore teammate Analise Grady (1.08) who pitched 35.1 innings.
Only senior Jaylin Couto (100 innings pitched) had more strikeouts, 102, and more wins, 11, than Beebe. Couto started 17 games in 19 appearances.
Beebe's 1.83 ERA ranked 14th nationally among freshmen in NCAA Division III and 97th overall. Beebe was named to the 2024 all-Commonwealth Coast Conference second team and was CCC Rookie of the Week three times.
"I love (the awards), but the thing I value most is the way I feel leaving everything out on the field," Beebe said. "The only time I'll feel bad about myself is never if I didn't get an award ... but if I feel like I left the game not giving my best or not doing the best for the team."
As accomplished as she was in high school, Beebe, a right-handed pitcher, said she didn't see this type of season coming. Endicott went 24-14 overall.
"I was just staying in the season, staying focused on the next game and staying focused on the next (team) I was going to face, and just trying to stay locked in," Beebe said. "I didn't know it was going to go that well at all, but I did know that (coach Katie Bettencourt) believed in me, so every time I went out there (to pitch), I had that in the back of my mind."
Beebe finds success immediately at Endicott
When Beebe, a Brentwood resident, took the circle for her first regular season start for Endicott, she went 6 2/3 innings, allowing zero runs on three hits, walking five batters and striking out a season-high 10 batters in a 5-0 win over Amherst on March 17.
Beebe said going into her first start she held herself to a high standard, but also didn't want to put too much pressure on herself.
"Going against Amherst, I knew I had to be stoic and show (Bettencourt) that I was confident, calm in myself, confident in the team and her pitch calling," Beebe said. "So, I really just tried to focus on myself and do a job basically ... I knew I just had to trust my team and I did, and that helped a lot."
Beebe pitched six innings in each of her next two starts - a 3-0 loss to Tufts and a 8-0 win over SUNY Old Westbury. In those two games, Beebe allowed three earned runs on just seven hits and struck out 11 batters.
She compiled five complete games on the year, winning four of them - over Old Westbury (8-0), Gordon (4-0), University of New England (8-0) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (7-0). The only loss came against Wentworth, 3-2.
Beebe feels her best performance came in the game against MIT on May 1. She went seven innings, allowed two hits, walked one and fanned five. She carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but after recording the first out, the no-hit bid ended with a bunt single.
"I just felt like I performed at my best that game," Beebe said. "That was my favorite."
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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter grad Kristen Beebe shares top moments in stellar freshman year at Endicott College
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