PHEBA — Numbers say a lot about Chloe Tapley.
Five no-hitters, three one-hitters, 293 strikeouts.
Those eye-popping achievements were part of a dominating season that helped Tapley and the Hebron Christian fast-pitch softball team finish third in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class A tournament.
The finish was the best in school history in the program”s first trip to the state tournament.
As much as all of those accomplishments point back in some way to Tapley, the sophomore pitcher isn”t sure to answer a simple question: Does she think she is good?
“I am not the worst out there,” Tapley said. “I just enjoy it a lot when I am in the game.”
Tapley”s ability to handle the responsibility that accompanies being a dominant pitcher is one reason why she is The Dispatch”s Fast-Pitch All-Area Player of the Year.
“She has matured a little bit from a dad”s perspective,” said Cass Tapley, Chloe”s father and her coach at Hebron Christian. “From a coach”s perspective she has matured a lot. She did get better. She always practiced and she always looked to get better. She never was one to sit around.”
Tapley said he was concerned the decision to move the pitching rubber back three feet to 43 feet would affect Chloe, but he said it might have helped her because it didn”t dramatically diminish her velocity and it might have helped some of her pitches break even more.
An even bigger challenge awaits Chloe Tapley next season. As a junior, she will be without experienced players like her sister, Magen, Jessica Fleming and Cathryn Moore, who also were first-team All-Area picks. Without veterans to set the tone or to be vocal leaders. coach Tapley said Chloe will have to have to be more vocal and more encouraging to her younger teammates.
“I hope she will mature enough to help the younger girls. That is her next step,” coach Tapley said. “That is where she can help us the most. Great players make others around them better.”
Tapley, who doesn”t consider herself a perfectionist, started playing softball when she was 6 or 8 years old. She always practiced pitching when her sister would practice at the position. She soon discovered she liked what she was doing and quickly improved.
This season, her fifth as a starter at the high school level, she excelled in the circle and at the plate. Her regular-season batting average of .432 led the team, as did her 35 runs. She also had 13 RBIs and five doubles primarily as a contact hitter who also could play the short game (lay down bunts or slap) from either side.
With the ball in her hand, Tapley (24-9) commanded attention and had 10 shutouts. Seventy-nine of her strikeouts came in a playoff run that featured two 18-strikeout games. Her accomplishments earned her MAIS Class 1A, District 3 MVP, team MVP, and MAIS State All-tournament team.
In addition to her on-field exploits, Tapley also carries a 4.0 grade-point average and was the freshman and sophomore homecoming maid.
If that sounds like a lot to juggle, Tapley isn”t easily fazed. Instead, she likes to stay busy and to accept challenges. She also doesn”t mind playing for her father.
“She really doesn”t know any differently,” coach Tapley said. “I don”t think it stresses her. If you want to stress her out, put her in the batter”s box. That is where she stresses out. From the time she was 10 years old I haven”t seen her rattled in the circle or worried. It is like, ”This is my job and this is what I am going to do.” ”
Tapley said her ability to focus in the circle helps her succeed. She said she tries not to think about a lot of things when she is on the field. It sounds simple, but a relaxed approach always has worked, and she doesn”t plan to change anything because the results speak for themselves.
“I think I definitely improved,” Tapley said. “My pitches were a lot better than they were last year. They moved a lot more. My speed is about the same. I got stronger, but we moved back. My hitting was a lot better and I have more confidence in it.
“It definitely was surprising (she was as dominating in the circle as she was). I practiced so much (this season). I expected to be good, but not as good as it was.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
