Paige Parker is one impressive athlete.
Just a few weeks ago, she helped pitch the Oklahoma University softball team to their second consecutive College World Series Title, while earning a spot on the All-Tournament team for the second straight year. But her most impressive feat yet may be knocking a Major League catcher on his butt with a single pitch.
A day after the Sooners won the National Championship, the Royals reached out to see if she’d like to throw out the ceremonial first pitch ay Kauffman Stadium. Naturally, Parker said yes. But before she went out and took the field, Parker warmed up with Royals catcher Drew Butera, who’d be catching the “first pitch” later on.
After loosening up with a few soft tosses, some of the other Royals players wanted to see her actual pitches. She obliged, impressed, and knocked Butera backwards into the net.
Check it out for yourself:
Safe to say the @Royals were impressed when @paigeparker008 warmed up last week before her first pitch.
Full story: https://t.co/KFOsYUgacO pic.twitter.com/hYuVe0i926
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) June 27, 2017
“Delete that video right now!” Hilarious. Also, no.
And Butera wasn’t the only one there. Apparently, Mike Moustakas sat behind home plate, while first baseman Eric Hosmer and second baseman Whit Merrifield swung by to watch the show, too.
Here’s what Parker had to say about the experience:
“Some of their reactions were really cool, so that’s something I won’t ever forget,” she said. “They were pretty shocked about how much my ball moved. I think they were especially fascinated by my rise ball because they never see that. They had some pretty funny reactions. Drew had a hard time catching some of my rise balls, which was pretty funny.”
You can watch her actual first pitch – a perfect strike – and more about her story right here.