Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Mary Brant, a Robert Morris freshman and Poland, alum hits an RBI single during the first game of the Colonials’ doubleheader on Wednesday at Youngstown State. In her first season, Brant has both the Colonials’ and the Horizon League’s highest batting average.

YOUNGSTOWN — Poland softball supporters are familiar with Mary Brant’s exploits on the diamond after seeing it for four years.

She put up big numbers as a junior, and then fought back from an injury to make the most of her senior season last year with the Bulldogs.

Now, as a freshman in college, Brant is doing the same at Robert Morris and has already become one of the best softball players in the Horizon League.

“I think a lot of it stems from my teammates and my coaches,” Brant said. “They really believe in me, and that kind of gives me the confidence at the plate to just do my thing and trust my mechanics.”

Through the team’s 30 games this season, Brant leads the Colonials with the highest batting average (.400) and the most home runs (8) on the team. She also has a hit in 12 straight games.

However, she doesn’t just lead RMU, as the only player in the conference hitting at least .400, she has the best batting average and is tied for the most home runs in the Horizon League, as well.

“I think a lot of it comes from her work ethic,” RMU head coach Jexx Varner said. “Her general athleticism and power is just who she is, and it’s one of the reasons why she’s gotten the opportunities that she has. You’re seeing what she’s doing because of how athletic she is, but there’s a level of maturity in her at-bats and in her approach to games that is creating an opportunity for her to use her skill set at a very high level right now.”

Not only has Brant demonstrated consistency with her high level of play, but she has also stepped up in the biggest moments for Robert Morris.

She had two home runs in the second game of the series against Green Bay on March 21, then she had a grand slam in the opening game of the series against IU Indy a week later, and finally last week, had two walk-off hits in two games against Northern Kentucky.

Her performances against the Norse, in addition to her contributions in RMU’s win over Pitt, garnered her Horizon League Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career.

“I think she really wants those opportunities,” Varner said. “I think she truly wants those and when you’ve got a lot of people around you, in front of you and behind you, then it’s a lot of protection and gives you a lot of opportunities to be able to just be you and do your thing and she’s been very successful at that.”

Brant never imagined she’d have this level of success so soon in her college career when she arrived at Robert Morris.

“I knew I would have to grind it out, especially because this is a really talented group of girls,” Brant said. “I’m extremely blessed that they’ve given me the opportunity and I just hope to keep helping out.”

Brant made her return to her hometown on Wednesday and Thursday, as her and the Colonials took a three-game series against Youngstown State. She went a combined 3-for-5 at the plate during Wednesday’s doubleheader and batted in the opening run of Game 1, an 11-3 victory for RMU.

As expected, in addition to Robert Morris fans that made the short trip from Moon Township, Pa., there were plenty of family and friends from her time at Poland in the stands at Covelli Sports Complex.

“It’s definitely surreal — I feel really blessed to have so much hometown support,” Brant said. “Because I know everyone’s watching and cheering me on, I just hope to represent them well.”

Despite her play and her local roots, Brant didn’t receive much recruiting attention from the Penguins when coming out of high school.

“It definitely was disappointing, but it just made me work harder, and I’m extremely happy where I’m at,” Brant said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Robert Morris was always at the top of her college list, especially after she attended a Colonials softball camp in July 2023.

Brant then committed a couple months later in September and officially signed to join the Colonials two months after that.

“(I liked) the family aspect of the team, and then the coaches — they’re super encouraging and really believe in us,” Brant said. “And I wanted to be close to home, so it checked all my boxes.”

She checked all of Robert Morris’ boxes too.

“We refer to it in our recruiting process as ‘plus athletes,’ and there’s got to be something in your game that is a plus on one side or the other,” Varner said. “She is a ‘plus athlete’ — extremely athletic, and she has ‘plus’ power. Those were things that, this is the type of young woman that we need in our program. We knew that she was a really good teammate, showed that through the recruiting process, had a good family, and all those things matter to us in our program.”

After RMU finished tied for third in the Horizon League last season, Brant was able to join and contribute to an experienced Colonials squad that returned six seniors and seven juniors this year.

“They took me under their wing very quickly, which I really appreciated,” Brant said. “They kind of showed me the ropes and they’re all my role models, so I just try to be like them.”

With RMU’s experience, in addition to Brant’s play, the Colonials have been at or near the top of the Horizon League standings, having won 15 of their last 17 games.

In the short-term, Brant and Robert Morris are hoping to make a run at the Horizon League title, but in the long-term, Varner thinks “the sky’s the limit” for Brant.

“She could be a record-setter in this program, and that comes from her work ethic,” Varner said. “Making continuous adjustments, which I think is a cool thing you’re seeing right now through different at-bats and games. She’s making adjustments to what people are throwing her, and that’s something that she’s going to need to rely on for the rest of her career. If she continues to do that, there’s no limit to where she’s going in this program and in this sport.”