Hanover Central pitcher Claire Edgerton ready to 'show people' her skills

After helping Wildcats reach state title game, shy senior aims to take the mound more often this season

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:48pm

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Hanover Central senior pitcher Claire Edgerton is eager to show what she can do on the mound this season after making the most of her limited appearances last year. Edgerton, who describes herself as quiet and shy, posted a 1.75 ERA and struck out 36 batters in 32 innings as a junior, leading her coach to admit he should have used her more. This offseason, Edgerton has focused on sharpening her changeup, a pitch her coach believes will be crucial to her success.

Why it matters

Edgerton and the Hanover Central Wildcats came up just short of a state championship last season, and the quiet but determined senior is motivated to help the team take that final step this year. Her ability to keep hitters off balance with her changeup could be a key factor in the Wildcats' quest to win their first state title.

The details

Edgerton first stepped into the pitching circle when she was 8 years old, after the team's regular pitcher got sick during an 8U game. She's been tinkering with her pitches ever since, developing a changeup that her coach believes will be crucial to her success this season. Edgerton made the most of her limited appearances last year, posting a 1.75 ERA and striking out 36 batters in 32 innings. Her coach admits he should have used her more, and is looking forward to seeing what she can do with more opportunities this season.

  • Edgerton is entering her third varsity season with the Hanover Central Wildcats.
  • The Wildcats (18-13) lost to Indianapolis Cathedral 5-4 in the Class 3A state championship game last year.

The players

Claire Edgerton

A senior pitcher for the Hanover Central Wildcats who is entering her third varsity season. She posted a 1.75 ERA and struck out 36 batters in 32 innings last year.

Sam Antkiewicz

The head coach of the Hanover Central Wildcats, who admits he should have used Edgerton more often last season.

Nora Edgerton

Claire Edgerton's younger sister, a junior outfielder for the Wildcats, who describes Claire as a steadying presence on and off the field.

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What they’re saying

“I'm excited to show people that I can hold my own on the mound. I didn't get to show that as much as I would've liked last year. I've been working on my speed. It had slowed down a bit, and I wanted to get it back up to where it was.”

— Claire Edgerton

“Every time we put Claire in, I thought she did well. There were times I was second-guessing myself, thinking maybe we could've gotten Claire in there and she would've done just as well. But I'm looking forward to seeing her in action more this year and seeing what she can do.”

— Sam Antkiewicz, Head Coach

“It's important for her to be able to throw the change-up for a strike and then come back with something harder. We've been working on that. In middle school, when she had command of that change-up, it kept hitters off balance and made her fastball look faster.”

— Sam Antkiewicz, Head Coach

“My freshman year, I was really nervous when I got pulled up to varsity. But she was always there to make sure I knew I was meant to be there. If I looked upset, she'd make sure I was OK. If I had a question, I could go to her. She's my best friend. I go to her about everything.”

— Nora Edgerton, Junior Outfielder

What’s next

The Wildcats will look to build on their state championship game appearance last season and win their first state title, with Claire Edgerton playing a key role in the team's quest.

The takeaway

Claire Edgerton's quiet determination and focus on improving her changeup could be the key to helping the Hanover Central Wildcats take the final step and win a state championship this season, after coming up just short last year.