Seymour senior switches positions in final year of softball

April 2, 2019

Emma Ramp has been a second baseman for the Seymour softball team for the past three years, but this spring she has switched to the outfield.

“I think I’m just going to be there when they need me, and wherever they need me to playing the outfield,” she said. “In past seasons, my freshman through junior years, I played a bigger role on JV, and I got more playing time at second base. But now, since there is a lot of competition on varsity, coach has a lot of people in the outfield, so I think I’ll be able to play wherever he needs me in the outfield.”

When the senior goes to bat, she looks to make contact.

“I would rather hit an outside or down-the-middle pitch than an inside pitch,” Ramp said. “I’m not very good at turning on the ball, so that is something I try to work on. I like them belt high or a little lower. I can sacrifice bunt if I need to, but I wouldn’t say I’m a bunter. I’d say I’m a line drive hitter.”

Ramp said she works on timing in batting practice.

“If I’m facing a faster pitcher I have trouble turning on time. I’ll have my hands a little lower than I would normally,” she said. “It’s a matter of using my legs first. It’s better to time it that way for me, so that way if it’s a changeup my hands aren’t already (out front). I’ve just stepped and I can wait because that gets your power ready and then I can still have my hands ready.”

Ramp began playing softball in Seymour at an early age.

“I was on the league teams,” Ramp said. “Then I was on district teams for a couple years and then I had a travel team I played on for a couple years, too.”

On the schedule, Ramp prefers playing at home.

“I like the home games. I like seeing everyone come out and watch our games,” Ramp said. “It’s good to see when people support us. I think our support has improved over the years. More people are coming out to games.”

She looks forward to a winning season.

“I want to start when I can, but I know the bigger goal should be just to help the team when I can,” Ramp said. “Everything might not always go my way, but as long as I can support the team and be there when I need to (is important). I want to improve in the outfield since it is a new position and I’m not as used to it.”

Ramp said the keys to have a winning season are communication and confidence.

“I think we have a lot of talent,” she said. “It just needs to get together to actually do what we can do. Offense will be a big thing too because I know we have good defense, so offense is what we need to work on. Practice is very important. I think softball is a very mental sport because you have to know on any play what to do. There could be 1,000 different things that could happen and you have to know in each situation what you would do at the position you’re playing. It determines the outcome of the game.”

Ramp has enjoyed attending SHS.

“I love playing, but what’s more important are the friendships and the bus rides and stuff like that,” Ramp said. “I’ve basically been able to play with all my best friends, and that’s how I’ve met my best friends for softball so that’s been really fun.”

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Name: Emma Ramp

High school: Seymour

Parents: Robin and Derek Ramp

Sibling: Madelyn

Sports: softball 4 years, cross-county 2 years

Athletic highlights: softball JV coaches award 2018

Organizations: National Honor Society, student government, choir

Plans after high school: attend Indiana University, study biology as pre-med major

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