Olathe Northwest senior reaches state home run record

OLATHE, Kan. (KCTV) - The home run is one of the most universally appreciated spectacles in sports. But not all home run hitters are created equal.

For as long as there have been pitchers and hitters, the long ball has been celebrated. In the 1920s and 1930s, Babe Ruth was king. Mickey Mantle took the title in the 1950s and in the 60s and 70s it was Hank Aaron who reigned supreme.

Singles hitters are honored with bobbleheads. Home run hitters? They get statues to pay tribute to them. And why not? They’re the biggest stars on the diamond.

Nike even built a “Chicks dig the long ball,” ad campaign around home run hitters. But what if it’s a chick doing the hitting?

That’s the case at Olathe Northwest, where 18-year-old Kendall Yarnell is the most prolific home run hitter in the Sunflower State.

“There’s not a lot of pitches she can’t hit out,” said Olathe Northwest coach Shawn Lopez, “which is always super exciting when she bats because there’s always that chance.”

Yarnell’s records aren’t just for this year.

“I was always a bigger kid -- like of my teammates,” Yarnell told KCTV. “I could hit the ball pretty far.”

Yarnell hit 16 home runs combined in her freshman and sophomore seasons at Olathe Northwest. As a junior, she hit another 16.

“So I realized that I’m going to be breaking a couple of records,” she said.

But as for which ones are memorable? Yarnell can’t say.

“They all kind of mesh together to be honest,” she said.

“I think she’s just used to it,” Lopez said. “I didn’t feel like there was any extra stress or pressure put on herself. She just went about her business.”

Going about her business helped her lead the Ravens to winning their first 20 games. Olathe Northwest eventually lost in the state semi-finals.

“My approach is just to hit the ball,” Yarnell said. “As soon as I start swinging for the fences it gets bad.”

This year, Yarnell’s focus is on a state title, not further setting the Kansas home run record.

“There’s always in the back of my head that I am able to change a game with one swing,” she admitted.

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