Name: Micah Black
School: Eastern Hancock
Sport: Softball
Grade: Freshman
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Position: Catcher, outfielder
Jersey number: 14
Nominated by: Royals head coach Sue Anderson
Coach’s take: “Micah is just a very versatile player for us, very athletic,” Anderson said of the freshman, who also earned varsity minutes for the Royals basketball team. “Right now she’s catching and playing outfield for us, doing whatever she can for the team. She is one of those girls who never complains. You ask her to do something, and she jumps right in and does it.”
What makes Black a valuable asset, Anderson said, is her high softball IQ. Black plays travel softball with the Indiana Krush, and “you can tell she worked hard over the summer. She looks comfortable out there. I think her solid softball background has really relieved some of the nerves of playing varsity as a freshman.”
Anderson said she sees a bright future ahead for Black.
“There is a very, very good possibility she will be recruited to continue her career at high level. She has a chance to star-studded career here like Brooke Walden but without as much power. More like Peyton West.”
Current Royals Walden and West made the All-Hancock County Team last season.
Signature Moment: Black’s softball instinct was demonstrated during a recent Royals’ contest against Mid-Hoosier Conference rival Knightstown.
In the second inning, Knightstown’s Robyn Clark put down a sacrifice bunt to try to advance the Panthers’ runner on first base, Haley Fowler, to second.
It would have been a successful sacrifice, but Fowler got greedy. She rounded second and headed for third, thinking with a charging infield, no one would be covering the bag.
She was wrong.
Black had made bee-line to third from left field and was there in plenty of time to receive the throw from first base and make the tag to complete the double play.
“A lot of left fielders don’t make that play. They just watch, Anderson said.
“They don’t processes what’s happening. She does.”
