In the 148-year history of Major League Baseball, no pitcher has thrown a perfect game more than once.
Oak Park and River Forest High School softball pitcher Chardonnay Harris has thrown two perfect games.
This postseason.
The Auburn-bound southpaw served as both the Huskies’ unquestioned ace and driving force behind OPRF’s IHSA Class 4A back-to-back state state championships.
“Chardonnay’s just awesome,” OPRF coach Mel Kolbusz said regarding his star pitcher. “We had a great lineup behind her and have played well defensively all year, but she’s the best pitcher I’ve ever had.”
Harris pitched for the Huskies this past Saturday against Lincoln-Way East at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria.
Harris was spectacular yet again as she went the distance and one-hit the Griffins while striking out 16 of the 22 batters she faced.
Thanks to Harris’ dominance, the Huskies needed only one run to defeat the Griffins for their second state title in two years.
“It was fantastic,” Harris said. “Repeating as state champions as a senior? It’s something I’ll never forget.
“I love high school. I know everyone says that, but I feel like I’ve just had a different experience. To go back-to- back, with these girls and the ones before, it’s just been a dream come true.”
This season, Harris went 19-0 with a 0.29 ERA, 18 complete games and 14 shutouts in 118.2 innings pitched. She allowed seven runs (five earned) while walking nine batters and striking out 233.
But Harris’ softball skill became apparent long before she donned the Huskies’ orange and blue.
After starting with Oak Park tee ball, Harris began playing travel ball for the Oak Park Windmills when she was 8. Even then, she impressed opponents and fans alike.
If Harris wasn’t mowing down the opposition’s bats, she was holding down first base with ease.
“I remember doing the splits to catch my teammates’ throws and I wouldn’t think much of it, but the people in the stands would be going crazy,” Harris said.
In fact, Harris was so good at such a young age that she when she was in the seventh grade, then-Arizona State University coach Clint Myers invited her to Tempe for a softball camp.
“I loved it,” Harris said. “Once I was there I was like, ‘OK, give me a uniform now!'”
The summer before her freshman year at OPRF, Myers took the job as head coach at Auburn University and continued recruiting Harris. That December, she verbally committed to Auburn.
“I remember we were taking a golf cart through campus and I committed on the spot,” Harris said. “[Myers] told me, ‘you work on the mental stuff and we can work on the physical stuff when you get here.'”
Harris already had a good start working on her mental toughness, as she missed most of her freshman campaign due to injury.
After fracturing her leg while starting for OPRF’s varsity basketball team, Harris was eager to prove herself to the varsity softball team.
Unfortunately within days of the boot coming off, the injury bug struck again. Harris had tendonitis in her throwing arm.
“Being injured was frustrating,” Harris said. “As a pitcher, you don’t get a play off, but I think sitting helped a lot in the long run. Watching the older girls let me get a feel for varsity early.”
The results speak for themselves.
Harris was named first team All-State as a sophomore, made second team as a junior and was named Illinois Gatorade Softball Player of the Year as a senior. Not to mention she was nearly unhittable in the Huskies’ quest to repeat as state champions.
When Harris heads south to Auburn to begin the next chapter of her softball career, she won’t forget the one that just ended.
“This isn’t how I planned it, but I’m so happy with the results,” Harris said. “More important than championships, softball has given me friendships and relationships that will last a lifetime.”
