When Mercer Island High School (MIHS) senior hurler Sienna Klopp steps onto the mound, she exudes confidence as batters prepare to swing away at the pitches zooming toward the plate.

Fastball, changeup, drop and rise are the pitches that Klopp will send opponents’ way this spring for the Islanders’ fastpitch softball squad, which sported a 1-1 record at press time after competing in its Island season-kickoff jamboree.

“I try to think to myself that every pitch is a new pitch, regardless of whether I threw a ball or a strike,” said Klopp, adding that she tries to stay mentally strong throughout her time in the pitcher’s circle.

Klopp is beginning her third full MIHS varsity season and has been a part of the school’s program for the last four years.

“It’s been pretty fun. I definitely have seen a lot of improvement for myself from when I started in freshman year. And I feel like I just have a very supportive team who always encourages me, even when I’m not doing the best,” said Klopp, who began playing softball when she was 9 or 10. She played baseball during her first time on the diamond a year earlier.

The steps of her softball journey cover the local and national map: She first played in Bellevue, then hit the field when she moved to North Carolina in middle school and then arrived on Mercer Island to join the school squad. She also competes for Flame Fastpitch out of Bellevue.

Klopp said her mom encouraged her to try every sport as a youngster, and softball triumphed over the others.

Pitches have been delivered and lessons have been learned along the way with the MIHS squad. Klopp said that inclusivity and encouragement are keys on a team of players with diverse skill levels. The Islander aims to improve her pitching skills and communication with her teammates over the course of the season.

On the head coaching front, Amanda Mattocks pushes the Islanders to play their best, said Klopp, adding: “She definitely enforces the idea that mistakes are OK, but we always need to learn from our mistakes and such.”

Senior captains Hannah Zhou at shortstop and Naomi Do at catcher will also play vital roles this season, Klopp said.

Klopp described her tight relationship with Do: “I feel like for pitchers and catchers, you definitely have to be close, especially when you’re practicing together most of the time. And we have lots of inside jokes and stuff that we like to crack off during the game.”

The Reporter asked Klopp a series of questions to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her life outside of softball:

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

One of my biggest pet peeves definitely does have to do with softball. I feel like people who are kind of stubborn and unaccountable of their mistakes. They just won’t really take accountability or say sorry or realize what they did.

What’s a binge-worthy TV series that you’d recommend to somebody?

I would definitely recommend “Breaking Bad.” That’s one of my favorite shows. And I’m also currently watching “Dexter,” which I really enjoy, and I would definitely recommend that one, too, so far.

What’s a special skill that you’d like to learn?

Learning a new language. I’m currently taking Spanish in school, but I feel like having a wider variety of languages would be really cool to speak, like sign language or something.

What would your dream job be? Where do you see yourself maybe working 10 years from now?

I think with my major (biology), I would definitely say a dermatologist. I’m just really into skincare and stuff, and I feel like that would be something I really would enjoy to do.

What superpower would you like to have?

I would like to be able to control time. I think that would be cool.