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The time looks right: Special season gives Mount Pleasant softball team high hopes

Photo by James Nix

Mount Pleasant High School shortstop Allison Starnes and the Tiger softball team are undefeated headed into the final portion of the season.

By Steve Winzenread | Independent Tribune

Published: May 5, 2009

MOUNT PLEASANT — Is this the year?
The season has gone so well for Mount Pleasant softball that it leads to high hopes for what is to come.
"There's no doubt in my mind we can make a run," said second-year head coach Craig Carter of the NCHSAA 2A playoffs. "It's the opportunity of a lifetime, kind of like the (state semifinal) football team two years ago."
The progress and achievement of the Tigers so far have been remarkable as they try to surpass the 2006 Mount Pleasant team that came within one win of making the Final Four.
Behind freshman pitcher Taylor Carpenter, they've lost only once in 21 games and have gone undefeated in the Rocky River Conference.
"She has the uncanny ability to step her game up," Carter said. "She hasn't allowed a lot of walks and she's got around 145 to 150 strikeouts. She's durable and she's tall, around 5-10 or 5-11. Her delivery is a little bit different than a girl say who's 5-2 or 5-3. Taylor has definitely carried a lot of the burden because she's the only pitcher I've got on my team."
It goes without saying that the Tigers were counting on senior shortstop Allison Starnes, who had to be talked into playing high school ball when she was a freshman, then became a superstar.
"She's an all-state player every time she steps on the field," Carter said. "Second to none to anybody in this state. We're looking at a three-time all-state shortstop."
"It's an honor for me to be her softball coach. She's made me better as a coach. She makes her teammates better."
Starnes is hitting .729 this year. That's a Ruthian statistic, as in the Babe.
"We've always had good teams," Starnes said. "But this year it feels different. It feels like there's a well-rounded player at every position on the field."
Some of Mount Pleasant's numbers are eye-popping.
"We have just been absolutely killing the ball," Carter said.
Freshman centerfielder Georgia Parker, the heir apparent to Starnes at shortstop, is hitting .672 and has struck out only three times this year.
Cleanup hitter Jocelyn Parnell, a junior first baseman, bats .561 with 43 RBI.
"There's no doubt in my mind that's a school record (for RBIs)," said Carter, who grew up in Mount Pleasant.
By the way, Parnell also is the 2009 Cabarrus County and RRC girls shot put and discus champion.
Third baseman Taylor Miller, who has committed to Mars Hill, is hitting .576 with 34 RBI. Parker has 37 RBI and Starnes 33. Parnell has slugged nine homers, Parker eight and Starnes four.
"Those four have been the main cog in our offense as far as getting runs across the plate," Carter said.
The Tigers also rely on leadoff batter Lindsey Huneycutt, leftfielder Kristin Ross, catcher Emily Lewis and outfielders Alley Kindley, Sarah Ritchie and Lindsay Crudele.
"Everybody brings their own thing to the table," said Ross, the Tigers' only other senior. "I try to get everybody going in the dugout. Everybody gets along. When we're together, it's just good. I think we have a really good chance of going all the way this year. I'm really excited."
Starnes' college choice is East Carolina.
"I'm not going to play softball," she said. "I'm just going to focus on my academics."
She's considering being a social worker. Ross, who is going to UNC Charlotte, is interested in studying psychiatry.
The Tigers have two key league games left, both at home, against West Stanly and South Stanly.
The South Stanly game, scheduled for Tuesday, was rained out. Now the Tigers host West Stanly at 7 p.m. Thursday and entertain South Stanly at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The conference tournament is next week at North Stanly.
"Every time I step onto that softball field with them, I get excited because I don't know what I'm going to see next," Carter said. "We had to come from behind to beat Central (Cabarrus). We had to hang on to beat Robinson. They've won in dramatic fashion. They've hung on. They've blown people out. They've just played solid all year."
State playoffs are scheduled to start May 19.
"Last year (before the Tigers lost in the first round of the playoffs) I remember feeling kind of wore out," Ross said. "I know a lot of the girls felt that way. This year might be different, and I hope it is. I'm ready to go."