Bradford High School senior Austy Miller signed her letter of intent Thursday to play softball for Ohio University. In front with her are her parents Skip and Sommer Miller. Standing in back is Bradford softball coach Shon Schaffer.
BRADFORD — The moment wasn’t lost on Bradford softball coach Shon Schaffer.
One year after Skipp Miller signed her letter of intent to play softball at Ohio University, her sister Austy made the decision to join her.
The daughter of Skip and Sommer Miller made it official at Bradford High School Thursday, signing her letter of intent.
“That’s what we were all taking about,” Schaffer said. “It isn’t that often that a girl around her gets to sign a national letter of intent (to play Division I) and now we have had two.”
Her numbers speak for themselves.
Despite losing her sophomore season when spring sports was postponed by Covid, the senior has already been All-Ohio at two different positions in her two seasons.
After earning those honors as a shortstop as a freshman, she moved to catcher last season, where she became Skipp’s battery mate as they led Bradford to the D-IV state title.
Austy had an amazing year behind the plate, whether it was with her batting prowess, taking an extra base with her speed or gunning runners down trying to steal bases.
She ended the regional final a year ago by throwing a runner out stealing in Bradford’s 1-0 victory over Mechanicsburg.
As a freshman, she batted .619 with six triples, two home runs and 15 stolen bases.
As a junior, she batted .633 average with 30 RBIs and 46 stolen bases.
She led Bradford in every statistical category at the plate and in 98 at bats, struck out just once.
“I heard that some of the schools said she had everything you want in a catcher if she was just a a few inches taller,” Schaffer said. “That is is just unbelievable to me. What does how tall you are have to do with how you hit the ball, run bases or your arm?”
Miller is a three-sport talent at Bradford.
She was a member of the only Bradford girls cross country team to qualify for state as a team and has already passed the 1,000-point mark in career points in basketball — leading Bradford to the district finals a year ago.
The only question might be where she will play in college.
“I think some schools were looking at her as a middle infielder,” Schaffer said. “She was All-Ohio there her freshman year. I think Ohio State was even looking at her as a outfielder. She can play anywhere. She made the decision to go south and join her sister (at Ohio University).
“I am sure they will use her some as a catcher, with her sister being a pitcher.”
After finishing an amazing high school career this spring.
