One Week, Multiple Milestones
May 23, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Sunglasses on whether it’s sunny or not, fastballs blazing and drop-balls dipping, Decatur senior Erika Southworth is an intimidating foe for those who dare step into the batters box.
But that’s just her on-field persona. When games are done, she talks with opposing players and has become friends with many.
And last week, she couldn’t help but get a little teary-eyed under her trademark shades.
On Thursday, Southworth won the 100th game of her career, at home against Gobles. On Saturday, at Climax-Scotts, Southworth recorded her 1,000th strikeout.
“None of my teammates knew until practice the day before. I think it motivated them more,” Southworth said of the 100th win. “At the end of that game, they came over and gave me a hug, and they said, ‘That win was for you. We worked hard for you.’ I got a little emotional.
“Both were a big deal to me. … But the wins mean more, I guess. Striking out a lot of people doesn’t matter if you didn’t win any games. I guess it means I had a pretty good career.”
A three-time all-state selection likely heading for her fourth, Southworth – a Second Half High 5 recipient this week – was going to be remembered regardless of those career milestones. But both cement her name in the MHSAA record book – she’s the 26th pitcher to win 100 games and 34th to strike out 1,000 batters, according to those lists.
This season, she’s 24-3 with a 0.83 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 157 innings pitched – with only eight walks. She’s also leading No. 7-ranked Decatur with a .448 batting average and 34 RBI.
Her career so far has included a Division 4 championship game appearance as a freshman (a 4-0 loss to Unionville-Sebewaing) and two more trips to Quarterfinals. It’s included the increase of pitching distance from 40 to 43 feet, a major adjustment for some that she used to become a better pitcher.
“In the early part of her career, she pitched kind of like a machine. I called the pitch and location, and she would just throw the pitch to the location,” Decatur coach Matt McLouth said. “After the mound went back to 43 feet, the pitches that she would strike out opposing hitters from 40 feet weren’t always striking out hitters from 43 feet. She really learned the art of getting hitters out. She learned that getting her opponent to hit a weak ground ball was just as good as getting a strikeout."
Southworth will take a “refined” repertoire with her this fall to the University of Michigan-Dearborn. The drop-ball is her favorite pitch. But McLouth said her change-up also has improved significantly over the last few seasons, and she’s added a rise ball to match.
The Wolves also will get a sports lifer who understands the value of dedication. Southworth has been part of Decatur’s softball program since joining as a team manager in sixth grade. She spent the first decade of her life running around the wrestling mat at the practices of her father Brian Southworth, who has won 567 matches over 28 seasons as Decatur’s coach in that sport, and also coaches the girls track and field team.
But before Erika leaves town and starts a degree in business, there's some to finish with the Raiders.
Decatur’s 2011 season ended with an 11-0 loss to Breckenridge. The team was relatively young and learned a lot that day about playing in pressure situations. Southworth is ready to pop on the sunglasses and lead her teammates on one more run – and earn a first championship to go with those other milestone numbers.
She’s learned, both on the diamond and the mat, what it will take to make that happen.
“I learned you have to work hard for what you earn. It’s not just given to you,” Southworth said. “Never give up. If you want something, you have to go and get it.”
Click to read more about Southworth's future plans and family ties.
PHOTO: Decatur's Krista Southworth prepares to fire a pitch during last season's Division 4 Quarterfinal against Breckenridge. (Photo couresty of High School Sports Scene.)
Team of the Month: Gaylord Softball
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 9, 2023
Gaylord has set a standard few have matched the last few seasons, landing that bar at an elite level since taking a freshman-filled team to the Division 2 Semifinals two years ago and coming within a run of toppling that weekend’s eventual champion.
Those freshmen are now eight juniors, book-ended by two seniors and two sophomores for a team that took over the No. 1 ranking in the state coaches poll at the start of May and is 34-2 heading into this weekend’s Regional at Cadillac.
The MHSAA/Applebee’s “Team of the Month” for May also won the Big North Conference for the third-straight season and swept league competition for the second in row, swept Division 3 top-ranked Evart among other high-caliber wins, and last weekend added to a regular-season shutout of Escanaba with a 13-1 win over the No. 2-ranked Eskymos on the way to a District title. Escanaba had eliminated Gaylord in last year’s Regional Final.
“I think the way they play to the standard, regardless of what the score is, that’s just kind of a mindset thing. They’re really just trying to be excellent in everything that they do,” Gaylord coach Tony Vaden said. “They’re always practicing the fundamentals of the game as much as possible, trying to be great at every aspect that they can. And I think that’s the difference between us and a lot of the other teams, is that there’s a real focus on playing to our standard at all times.”
Vaden said he could see the beginnings of establishing that high standard before this season, but it’s really taken hold this spring in part because his players are starting to be presented with college opportunities.
The first-year varsity coach – who previously led the JV – also said he must give leading credit to his assistant Greg Jones, whom he called the “architect” of the current success. A two-time Class D baseball champion at Hillman and then standout player at Central Michigan coached most of the Blue Devils in youth ball, leading them to a Little League state championship in 2015.
Vaden said seven of his 10 upperclassmen are at some stage in the college commitment process for softball – including senior Alexis Kozlowski (signed with Ferris State), junior infielder/pitcher Jayden Jones (Greg’s daughter, committed to sign with Virginia Tech) and junior second baseman Alexis Shepherd (committed to Toledo). Four more juniors also have committed to college softball programs, junior Avery Parker will sign with Northwood basketball, and Vaden said he anticipates college opportunities for remaining uncommitted Blue Devils as well. Sophomore Aubrey Jones – Greg’s daughter as well – already has offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech.
“They know there’s eyes upon them, so they’re just really focused on what they’re doing at all times,” Vaden said. “Not to mention the fact we have our individual goals and we have our team goals, and they need to play to the standard to meet those.”
The numbers the team has put up so far are setting a bar for those to come as well.
The Blue Devils have scored 401 runs with 425 hits including 105 doubles and 66 home runs, with a team average of .438. All of those make the MHSAA record book right now – the average eighth all-time if they maintain it, with the doubles sixth and climbing and the home runs second and four off tying the state record.
Kozlowski is hitting .591 with 21 doubles, 11 homers, 59 RBI and 23 stolen bases. Junior Taylor Moeggenberg is hitting .524 with nine home runs and 44 RBI, and Aubrey Jones is right at .500 with 16 homers and 59 RBI. Five more players are hitting .420 or better, and the team has a an 0.82 ERA with Parker, the Jones sisters and senior Abby Radulski contributing in the circle.
Major tests are coming Saturday with No. 10 Big Rapids in a Regional Semifinal and then either No. 4 Essexville Garber or honorable mention Freeland if the Blue Devils advance.
But there’s something else of championship value that sticks out to Vaden almost as much as that high standard to which his players are aspiring.
“They’re always cheering each other on, and they also hold each other accountable. You don’t always see that,” he said. “They’re still teenagers, and it’s hard to say to another person, ‘Hey snap out of it. Let’s go.’ But they’re all around each other all the time, they’re all in class together. And they’ve been around each other since they were little.”
Past Teams of the Month, 2022-23
April: Saugatuck girls soccer - Report
March: Croswell-Lexington competitive cheer - Report
February: Hart girls & boys basketball - Report
January: Taylor Trillium Academy girls bowling - Report
December: Byron Center hockey - Report
November: Martin football - Report
October: Gladwin volleyball - Report
September: Negaunee girls tennis - Report
PHOTO courtesy of the Gaylord athletic department.