SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Holston’s Lowe repeats the feat School Community

SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Holston’s Lowe repeats the feat

Written by Hamish Costello on July 15, 2011 – 1:21 pm

Holston softball coach Lisa Blackburn got an enticing glimpse of the future three summers ago on a sun-baked field in Delaware.

Blackburn and many residents from Washington County made the long journey to watch the girls from Damascus compete in the Senior League World Series.

Damascus featured an array of talented players, but one athlete stood out in the circle. She was determined, multi-talented and relentless.

“I knew what was coming after that tournament. There was a lot of talent on that team,” Blackburn said.

Pitcher Morgan Lowe has earned statewide attention the past three years for the Holston Cavaliers. Relying on a six-pitch arsenal, Lowe has compiled a record of 57-10 while guiding Holston to two straight state championship game appearances.

And for the second straight year, Lowe has been named the Bristol Herald Courier softball Player of the Year.

Marathon girl

The 5-foot-10 Lowe has been chasing her softball dreams since she began playing T-ball at age 4. After displaying promise in machine pitch and coach leagues, Lowe found her home in the circle at age 9. It was a natural fit.

The role model for Lowe was Kelsey Weddle, who posted three no-hitters and 210 strikeouts this past season for Patrick Henry.

“Kelsey was my inspiration when I first started playing softball,” Lowe said. “When I watched her, I told my dad that I wanted to be a pitcher and I was willing to work at it.”

Lowe has worked overtime through youth league, high school and travel ball teams. Her first travel ball coach with the Abingdon-based NATCO Hurricane was pitching guru Sam Sipes.

“I’ve been working with Sam ever since that year,” Lowe said. “We go for about 90 minutes during the winter, and recently I’ve been working with him just about every day at the Damascus Middle School field. With this heat, I have to run and work out every day so I can be ready for tournaments.”

Travel plans

After Holston dropped a 3-0 decision to Bath County this spring in the Group A, Division 1 title game at Virginia Tech, Lowe took three days off before leaving for Columbia, S.C., for a travel ball tournament. Lowe has since competed in tournaments in Virginia Beach and Rock Hill, S.C.

“I’m having fun, but I want to get better so I push myself as hard as I can go,” Lowe said.

Lowe enjoys the fast and ultra-competitive pace of the travel ball world.

“On Saturdays, you play two and sometimes three times a day. And then on Sundays, you keep playing until you lose. It’s usually very hot, the players are all good and a lot of college coaches come to the games,” Lowe said. “That pushes me to do better.”

Lowe received a lesson in the depth of travel ball during a tournament in Virginia Beach last fall.

“I had never played at that level before, and I had four home runs hit off me during the first tournament,” Lowe said. “That was a humbling experience, but I learned from it.”

The travel ball routine demands a sizeable contribution in time and money from parents. Tonya Lowe, the mother of Morgan Lowe, knows the story.

“It would be nice to spend my summer on the lake or beach, but I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing than watching Morgan play and supporting her. We get a lot of family time that way,” Lowe said.

The payoff extends beyond wins and championships.

“It’s hard to get college scholarships. We’re hoping that all these years of hard work and money will pay off and we will get to watch Morgan play in college,” Lowe said. “You have to commit yourself year-round to reach your goal, and Morgan has done that.”

Hometown hero

With each victory and tournament run, the Holston softball team has attracted more of a following. For Lowe, the journey with residents of her close-knit community has been just as gratifying as the destination.

“Holston has always been the underdog in sports, so it’s been great to do something new for our school,” Lowe said. “We’ve had people from all over Washington County come to our games, and a church youth group from Damascus even came to watch us to play in state. We all appreciate the support.”

While the run to the Senior League World Series has been the highlight, Blackburn has been following Lowe and her crew for many years. Faith Ritchie, Blackburn’s daughter and a recently graduated Holston star, is a longtime teammate of Lowe.

David Morrison coached the Damascus Little League team, which won the Virginia state tournament at the 9-10-year-old level.

“The girls we have now have basically been playing together since they were 6,” Blackburn said. “They all are willing to do whatever it takes to win for each other. They’ve formed a strong bond over the years.”

According to Blackburn, Lowe’s devotion has rubbed off on her teammates.

“I’ve never been around another athlete who works harder than Morgan,” Blackburn said. “If Morgan is not throwing the way she wants, she will get some extra pitching lessons. She’s a perfectionist.”

For the past two years, Blackburn has allowed junior catcher Megan Honaker to call the pitches for Lowe. Honaker has the choice of a fastball, changeup, riseball, dropball, curveball and screwball.

“We talked over the batter’s tendencies with Megan, and then she makes the call with Morgan,” Blackburn said.

Honaker also serves as the catcher to Lowe on the Virginia Class Action Scrappers travel ball team. Hannah Smith from Virginia High plays for the Scrappers, while the remainder of the roster consists of Roanoke area players.

“Megan has been my catcher since I was 11,” Lowe said. “We’re best friends and she knows me well enough to call my pitches.”

The future

Lowe has a goal of pitching at Virginia Tech or Appalachian State. The path from one of the smallest schools in Southwest Virginia to the NCAA Division I ranks is full of obstacles and long odds, but Lowe is willing to make the sacrifices.

She avoids junk foods, soft drinks and nonsensical television shows. Lowe is on a long-range mission and cannot afford distractions.

“My dad does push me, but I push myself for the most part,” Lowe said. “From throwing to hitting to lifting weights, I always want to be on the field working.”

Lowe’s fastball has been timed consistently in the 63 mph range.

“If I’m having a good day, I might hit 64 or 65,” Lowe said. “I’ve still got some work to do on some of my pitches.”

While the Cavaliers have charged to two straight Group A final games, Blackburn savors that first taste of widespread exposure in Delaware.

“The Little League coaches in Damascus did a great job preparing these girls, and it was just an amazing experience to cheer them on in a tournament that big,” Blackburn said. “That team had a lot of special players. They’ve stayed together and kept working on their skills. It’s been fun to watch.”

And the show should only get better next season with Lowe returning to the circle.

“We’re all best friends after playing together for so many years,” Lowe said. “Nobody believed we could make the World Series, but we did it. People started talking about Damascus and the softball team after that. And things have just gotten better.”

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