The last seconds of the 2014 RIIL Division 1 softball championship game dwindle away. The crowd is on their feet, yelling at the top of their lungs as the pitch is being delivered. The roar of the fans deafens all noises, making it difficult to hear the coaches in the dugout. The ball crosses the plate with infeasible speed and accuracy. The ball is hit in the air to right field as Tara Chatowsky camps underneath the routine fly ball. The ball is caught as the last out of the game is recorded. The NK team storms the mound and swarms the player of the hour: Kiara Oliver.

Junior pitcher Kiara Oliver started playing softball when she was 10 years old. She began her career with the simple thought of trying to make a sports team that would utilize her athleticism. Soon enough, she developed a knack for the sport and was able to translate her skills throughout her four years at North Kingstown High School, while also playing for the Rhode Island Thunder and Riptides.

Variety has always been Oliver’s essential asset in developing her game. She throws a curveball, a drop curve, a changeup, a screwball, and a fastball all with miraculous precision. The array of numerous pitches keeps batters out of their routine, adding to Oliver’s dominance. “She has a full repertoire of pitches that allow her to keep batters off balance and always guessing,” said head coach Adam Laliberte, “ She has a great pitcher’s mindset that is always looking to strike batters out.”

On top of her pitches, one of Oliver’s other strong attributes is her speed. She throws her pitches between 62-65 mph, a range that holds her to the level of college and professional softball pitchers.

These qualities culminate into an effective and precise player who is able to take the stress and pressure off of the offense while leading her team to success. “Having Kiara allows us to be a lot more functional on offense. We don’t feel like we have to score a ton of runs every game in order to be successful. This allows us to work together as a collective unit and be productive,” said Laliberte.

Oliver led the 2014 team to a remarkable 24-0 record while winning the state championship against Smithfield High School. Last year, the team experienced similar success with a record of 20-5, appearing in the RIIL state championship once again; however, they lost to Coventry in the second elimination game. Currently, the team is 17-0 with hopes of finishing the year at Rhode Island College [the site of the RIIL Softball Championship] just like the previous two years.

Oliver has pitched a total of 89 innings, posting an outstanding record of 14-0 as a starter. She has struck out 187 batters while holding a 0.23 ERA. She also has four no-hitters, six one-hitters, and eight shutouts.  “Her most important skill is her confidence. She is always composed and calm on the mound and that scares a lot of teams. Mixed with her talent, she is dominant and effective,” said teammate senior Tara Chatowsky.

In response to her great performance on the field, Oliver was nominated onto the Third Team All-Division as a freshman. Last year, she made First Team All-Division and First Team All-State while also receiving the MVP nomination. This year she continues to have stats that will grant her another state award once again.

The rising star continues to practice on her skills five days a week. “I practice for at least two hours each day, and even more than that with team and individual practice,” said Oliver.  She hopes that her dedication and hard work will lead her into college, as she has committed to attend and play softball at UMass Amherst. “Kiara is the most determined person I know. She is always trying to push herself to be the best person and player she can be, ” said Chatowsky.