HOLTON – If you’ve been anywhere in the vicinity of a Holton softball game, chances are you’ve heard the voice of junior Ryann Robins.

Robins is a super enthusiastic player who loves to play and compete, and is more than happy to let everyone know it.

“I’m very vocal and talk a lot,” she said about her leadership style. “I don’t know how to be quiet. I’m always talking and ready to help anyone. Sometimes people have to tell me to shut up because they’ve heard me say the same thing four times!”

Holton Coach Kirk Younts said Robins is a vocal force on the team who is respected for her leadership.

“She’s loud,” Younts said. “If we’re in a circle, she’ll be the loud one telling everyone what to do. She’ll even tell everyone on the field what they should do, in a positive way. The girls respect her because she backs it up with being smart and knowing the game.”

Robins also backs up her words with deeds, particularly at the plate. The power-hitting pitcher-first baseman has ripped 44 hits this season, along with 9 home runs, 11 doubles and 44 RBIs.

Opponents take a deep breath when she strides to the plate, for good reason.

“My mentality is just to go up to the plate and do what I can for my teammates,” Robins said. “I go up to the plate thinking about getting on base one way or another.

“At the beginning of the season, I started very slow. I struck out almost every at bat by not swinging. But as the season went on, I got more confident and put the bat on the ball more. It helped get us in a better position to win games. But the success doesn’t come without our hitting coaches who keep telling me how to get better and make me a stronger hitter.”

Robins had a monster season as a freshman, hitting 13 home runs and earning All-State honors as a pitcher. A lot of that had to do with her hitting as well as pitching, and her production at the plate trailed off last season when she totaled only seven home runs.

She admits she felt some pressure last season after being named to the All-State team, but she’s put all that behind her. This year, while playing a lot of first base and sharing pitching duties with fellow standouts Kenzie Greene and Abbie Fowler, Robins is back to her old habit of bashing the ball and putting runs on the scoreboard.

“I never thought I’d get that,” Robins said about being named All-State. “So last year, I put high standards on myself and had what I call a sophomore slump. I was about half as good as my freshman season. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more used to the pressure and become more comfortable.”

Robins also has the comfort of knowing she has a lot of support in a very strong Holton batting order. Opponents can’t pitch around her, because there are lots of other dangerous bats in the lineup.

Greene, for instance, has six homers, 10 doubles and 33 RBIs. Fowler has nine doubles, three home runs and 33 RBIs.

Coach Younts said that overall, the Red Devils are probably better at the plate than they have been in recent years.

“The bonus right now for our team is that one through nine are hitting the ball,” he said. “Some years you have to count on the top four or five kids, but the bottom of our batting order has come a long way. I can count on them to put the ball in play.”

All of the bats will be needed on Saturday when the Red Devils play for a Division 3 regional championship, starting with a game against host Onekama. The winner will advance to the regional title game later in the day.

“We try to take it one game at a time,” Robins said. “We try not to look ahead. But from here on out, we’re playing for everything. If we lose, we’re done.”