CHARLOTTESVILLE — Eastern Hancock head softball coach Terry Stephens corrects himself in the middle of his description of his club’s freshman phenom, Caroline Stapleton.
“She can do a little bit of everything. No, she can do a lot of everything,” Stephens said.
Named The Daily Reporter Breakout Athlete of the Year, Stapleton came on to the high school scene in a big way in 2019.
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She set school records for batting average (.586) and triples (11). She nearly averaged two hits per game, totaling 51 in the team’s 26-game season. She scored 34 runs and drove in 31. She stole 14 bases and struck out just three times in 96 plate appearances.
She can play center field, too.
“We could have probably played two outfielders, that’s how much ground she can cover,” Stephens said.
The coach added that Stapleton has one of the best arms on the team and is a great baserunner. And, to add to her high skill level, she knows the game.
“She has great softball knowledge and has all the talent to go with it,” he said.
That’s a lot of everything.
Stephens believes if not for a handful of rainouts that were unable to be made up, Stapleton would have set new single-season hit and RBI marks, too.
All this was done by a first-year player excelling in a new role.
Along with being a first-year high school softball player, Stapleton was asked to do something she wasn’t accustomed to.
A natural leadoff hitter known for using her speed and slapping ability to turn routine ground balls into infield singles, Stapleton was inserted into the No. 3 spot in the Royals lineup, where she was expected to drive the ball and knock in runs.
“I had to get used to driving in runs,” Stapleton said. “I was used to just getting on base and being driven in.”
Along with regular practices with the Royals, Stapleton was getting personal hitting lessons. It helped her with her new role. She said working on her technique helped her drive the ball, leading to a school-record number of triples.
“I definitely didn’t think I’d hit a lot of triples,” Stapleton said. “Batting third, you’ve got to power up.”
Stapleton said she learned to extend her swing all the way through the ball instead of pulling off, like she was used to as a slap hitter.
Her performance was impressive, but Stephens was just as happy with how his new player approached her new role.
“Besides her ability, you can’t ask for a better person,” Stephens said. “She is very coachable and wants the best for the team. She played out of her natural spot. I told her this is where we need you and she said she’d do whatever to help the team.
“We needed her in an RBI position. She could have demolished the singles record by laying bunts down.”
The second-year head coach knew he was getting a special player. Due to high school and middle school ball being played at the same time, he didn’t get a chance to see her play, but he knew — and his team knew — they were getting a difference maker in the lineup when the 2019 season got underway.
“This is a small town, her teammates all knew who she was. You could ask anyone before the season. They all knew Caroline Stapleton and knew she’d be our starting center fielder,” Stephens said. “Her reputation proceeded her before she got to high school.”
It may have been expected by teammates and coach, but Stapleton admits some uncertainty moving up from middle school to high school
“I was hoping I could keep up with everybody,” she said. I was nervous when it came to playing our first games, but it felt good to be able to accomplish our goals with them.”
Stapleton was coming into a team that was already pretty solid. The Royals were 15-10 in 2018 and 5-2 in the Mid-Eastern Conference. There was plenty of talent returning, plus Stapleton was heading a group of incoming freshmen from an 11-2 middle school team. By the end of the season, four freshmen were in the starting lineup and the Royals were sectional champions.
“I was very proud of all of us and what we were able to achieve. It was very cool,” Stapleton said.
