Banks County’s Mallory Parson has strung together a heck of a season. For that matter, she’s had one heck of a career.
The senior right-handed pitcher earned region co-player-of-the-year honors in 2014 after a 20-6 campaign. Last year, Parson posted a 3.01 ERA and struck out 157 batters in 26 games.
If her 2014 numbers weren’t staggering, she’s upped her game in almost every category in 2015. Starting nearly every game for the Leopards, Parson led Banks County to a 15-6 record and to the top of the 7-AAA standings for the second-straight season. This year, she’s thrown 123 strikeouts in 19 games and has posted a 1.491 ERA.
“I believe that she has fulfilled her role this year,” said Banks County head coach Tony Bowen. “She’s done everything that we’ve asked her to do. She has pitched on the rubber and has dominated some games. She’s stepped in to this role and has accepted it. She’s a very vital player on our team. Without her, we could have struggled.”
Heading into the Region 7-AAA tournament this week, Parson reflected on the uncertainty she felt at the beginning of the season.
“I was kind of hesitant about this season coming in, especially considering we are such a young team,” said Parson. “But it feels really good to be sitting in first place (in the region) with this being my last year with the team. But it also makes us nervous because of what happened last year, so we just have to keep going and keep working hard.”
The Leopards were dropped to a 3-seed following last season’s region tournament and forced to play a tough Oconee County team on the road for a first-round playoff contest. Parson and her team plan to avoid a similar fate in this week’s tournament, and if she can perform at the level she has played at all year, Parson should have her team in a good position to deliver.
One of the reasons Bowen believes Parson is effective as a pitcher is her fearlessness in the circle. He doesn’t discount her athleticism or natural ability, but believes her confidence is perhaps the biggest factor in her success.
“She’s been working all her life from the circle and I think she feels very confident there,” added Bowen. “She’s not afraid to challenge batters. She’s not afraid to go deep in the count with batters. She isn’t trying to hurry and get batters out in three pitches. She’s not afraid to go seven pitches. I think with that type of confidence, she can work the count.”
Parson also knows the importance of keeping a calm and clear head. She isn’t easily rattled when she finds herself in difficult or challenging situations.
“If you’re not confident, then you’re not going to be very successful,” said Parson. “Being down in the count makes me want to throw better. I know I need to help the team out and not walk batters or let them on base.”
Parson also believes in her ability to throw each pitch in her arsenal with command; however, she noted her favorite pitch is the curveball.
“I’m pretty confident in all my pitches, but my favorite would probably have to be my curveball because it breaks the best and I can throw it the most accurately,” she said.
While most opponents are hesitant to challenge Parson while in the circle, they shouldn’t sleep on her as a batter either. As the Leopards’ leadoff hitter, she has one of the team’s best averages at .380.
“Mallory is a key player at the plate too,” said Bowen. “She’s probably one of our best hitters. She’s our leadoff batter. She can hit from both sides of the plate. She can slap, she can power slap and hit with power from the right side.”
The all-region pitcher’s softball roots can be traced back to recreation league play. With the support of her family, Parson quickly became involved in and passionate about the sport. She began pitching at age 8 and hasn’t stopped since.
Parson gives credit to her friends and family members for many of her accomplishments, pointing specifically to her mother, whom she called “the team mom.”
Parson is also quick to point to Banks County’s surrounding talent in making the past couple seasons successful.
“They continue to work hard every day,” said Parson. “They impress me and surprise me in many ways. They all have good attitudes all the time and they have each other’s backs. It’s a great feeling to know that we are all supportive of each other.”
Parson is undecided on her plans post-graduation and is deliberating between multiple schools. But one thing is for sure, she doesn’t want to stop playing softball. And with 38 wins and 280 strikeouts over the past two years, it’s unlikely she’ll have to.
