Denver softball junior Jenna Collins surpassed 500 career strikeouts on Monday, June 8, during a 3-2 loss against Charles City. As incredible an accomplishment as it is, those 500 strikeouts may just be setting the table for even more history to be made over her final two seasons.

Collins entered the game against the Comets needing five strikeouts to reach 500. In six innings of work that included four hits and 0 earned runs allowed, Collins was able to double the total she needed by punching out 10 batters

That milestone isn’t the only time Collins has made history in the early part of this season, either. In fact, Collins needed just three games to tie the school record for strikeouts in a single game twice.

The first record-tying performance came on May 21, as Collins collected a remarkable 18 strikeouts while allowing one unearned run in a 7-1 win against Dunkerton. Then, on May 26, Collins matched the school record for the second straight game by retiring 18 batters in a 4-3 win against Union Community.

Collins is forecasted to set even more program records over the next two years. In just 11 appearances and 68 innings pitched this season, Collins has amassed 145 strikeouts. Not only does that number currently lead the entire state, but it also puts her well on pace to break the school record of 250 strikeouts in a single season. With the Cyclones’ career strikeout record sitting at 797, Collins will have a great shot at putting her name at the top of that leaderboard during her senior season in 2027.

Collins’ momentous performances on the mound have helped lift the program to one of its best starts to a season in over a decade. The Cyclones currently hold a record of 10-2, with the close loss against the Comets being just the second time they’ve finished on the losing end of a matchup so far this summer. The most wins the team has finished with in a single campaign in the past 10 seasons was 16 in 2021.

With all of the records and the wins, Collins has, unsurprisingly, described this season as one of the most fun she has been a part of since she became the team’s ace as just a freshman.

“[This season] has been a lot of fun. I think it’s been really helpful that our eighth graders are putting a lot of energy into cheering us on, so I think that’s a huge thing. [As a team] we’ve been pumping each other up before games and encouraging one another.

“Even if we lose, we know that we can learn from it and move on to the next game. I feel like we struggled with that a lot in past years. We’re really focused on letting things pass because we know we’re not going to win every game. We just have to focus on the wins ahead,” Collins described.

While the road ahead may include even more records and milestones, Collins isn’t worried about anything besides being a team player.

“It would be really cool to get the record for strikeouts in a career. But really, I’m just focusing on helping my team in any way I can,” said Collins.

Collins and the Cyclones are just half a game behind the North Iowa Cedar League conference leaders Dike-New Hartford, Wapsie Valley and East Marshall. With games against the Wolverines and Mustangs scheduled for this week, the Cyclones are in a prime position to make a run at a conference championship.