West Lafayette softball pitcher Molly Mansfield finds her spin and confidence

Q: How did Molly Mansfield perform in her recent game against Benton Central?

Molly Mansfield threw a complete game with 11 strikeouts, leading her team to a 3-1 victory over Benton Central.

Q: What specific improvements has Molly Mansfield made to her pitching?

Molly Mansfield has enhanced her game by focusing on her spin and confidence, allowing her to add another dimension to her pitching.

Q: What age is Molly Mansfield and what position does she play?

Molly Mansfield is 15 years old and plays as a pitcher for the West Lafayette softball team.

Q: What are the key factors contributing to Molly Mansfield's success as a pitcher?

Molly's success as a pitcher is attributed to her improved spin on the ball and her increased confidence on the mound.

WEST LAFAYETTE — The ball spun off the fingers of West Lafayette softball sophomore Molly Mansfield with waves.

More pitching. Less thinking.

The 15-year-old pitching ace has added another dimension to her game.

It wasn't the rise ball that's been having hitters swing out of their cleats or even the command she used to throw a complete game with 11 strikeouts to outlast Benton Central 3-1.

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Mansfield has gotten out of her own head.

"I've matured a lot more," Mansfield said. "I don't feel the pressure as much as last year. I've realized this game is for fun. It's not the only thing that matters."

A level head from Mansfield continued dotting the strike zone inside and outside against an improved Benton Central program that carries freshman right-handed pitcher Harper Butler and sophomore shortstop Chloe Linder.

West Lafayette sophomore Molly Mansfield (back) throws a pitch to freshman catcher Juliana Martinez (front) against Benton Central at West Lafayette Athletic Complex on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Mansfield commanded the strike zone and hit a leadoff single at the plate before scoring the game's first run. There's more smiling, and her pitches are hitting their intended zone rather than simply relying on the natural power of her fastball to blow by hitters.

"She's got a lot of talent and putting it together for her team," West Lafayette coach Chauncey Fry said. "She's got a team behind her; she's seeing the ball well at the plate, and any time she's in the box or on the mound her team is confident."

West Lafayette (5-1) is off to a strong start with key victories over Rensselaer Central, an improved Twin Lakes program, Covington and Seeger.

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A lot of their success is tied to Mansfield's dominance in the circle. Locating pitches is allowing Mansfield to make her rise ball more efficient, boasting a 1.05 ERA with 58 strikeouts and five walks in 32 innings. She is on pace to surpasses 150 Ks with less than 34 walks compared to last season.

Mansfield's pitching instructor, Audra May of Accelerated Fastpitch in Lafayette, sees the similarities between her pupil and other successful Lafayette area aces like Avery Layton (Virginia Tech) and Sydney Rainford (East Carolina). The top and backspin May saw training Layton is what she believes will allow Mansfield to rise as one of the next Division I caliber pitchers.

"She has so many dimensions inside that movement profile," May said. "She is highly competitive, possesses command and has that natural ability to create spin. She's focused, confident and her skills are catching up to her work ethic."

Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter atEthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: West Lafayette softball's Molly Mansfield finds new level with spin