Published: June 04, 2009 12:59 am      

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Loweth represents the next step for Floyd

Highlanders will have to conquer IU signee, Columbus North to advance in regional

The Floyd Central softball team has conquered the Hoosier Hills Conference, dominated the sectional and earned the respect of observers around the region as the most consistent and successful of local programs.

To take the next step, the Highlanders don’t just have to win the regional. They have to beat Cassie Loweth.

The Columbus North senior will be on the mound at 1 p.m. on Saturday, when Floyd begins play in its own Class 4A regional tournament against the Bull Dogs. The survivor will meet either Evansville North (19-8) or Plainfield (16-7) — they’ll meet at 11 on Saturday morning — for the right to go to the state finals at 7 p.m.

“Honestly, we don’t know much about them,” said Highlander coach Joe Witten, who is leading the Highlanders into the regional for the fourth time in the past seven years. “We really don’t know their tendencies, but we know they have to be good to do what they’ve done.”

There is little doubt that Columbus North (21-2) — winner of the rugged East Central Sectional — is good. The question is where does Loweth rank among the pitchers that the Highlanders have seen this season. She may be the best.

In November, Loweth signed to continue her sotball career at Indiana University, the reward for four selections as a first-team all-Conference Indiana performer, three times chosen as all-area Player of the Year, three times as most valuable player for the Bull Dogs and a spot on the all-state team three years running.

Loweth also brings a career 0.84 earned-run average into Saturday, which has dipped even lower during her senior season.

It’s how the Highlanders handle not just the pitcher, but her overwhelming reputation, that could determine the outcome.

“Cassie is a great pitcher,” Witten said. “But we’ve put a lot of emphasis on our offense this season. If we don’t score a lot of runs, that’s fine, as long as we have one more than them at the end. But we feel like we can put some runs up on the board — it all depends on who puts the ball in play the most.”

If any of Witten’s sectional championship clubs are equipped to handle such a challenge, it could be this one. The Highlanders finished 21-6-1, but many of those losses came at the hands of Indiana’s softball elite, as Witten beefed up the schedule to prepare for the later rounds of the postseason.

The Floyd team, according to its coach, thrives in pressure situations.

“The softball IQ of this team is very high,” Witten said. “You don’t have to explain things to them — how to tie their shoes, where to place a bunt — it makes things very easy. They are more poised and more seasoned than a lot of teams we’ve had at this point.”

To counter Loweth, Floyd will most likely deploy sophomore Samantha McClure, who had a big sectional tournament that was capped off with a 4-0 shutout victory over defending champion Jennings County. Loweth likewise beat the Panthers 4-0 this season.

Both teams have heavy hitters up and down the lineup, and many of them are underclassmen. Sophomore Jordan Batliner — the likely starter on the mound should the Highlanders advance to the final — will be a key to producing runs against Loweth, as will red-hot Jenna Allen and speedy shortstop Brittany Mills.

North has five freshmen and four sophomores on its varsity roster with just three seniors. Loweth is the heaviest hitter, with a batting average upwards of .400, while her classmates Kylie Haley and Kinzie Caudill, shortstop Sierra Albert and third baseman Sydnee Jackson will likely make things tough on McClure.

At this point in the tournament, every team has hitters and the pitchers only get better with each step forward. What it really comes down to is whether or not Floyd is finally ready to take the next step.

“Columbus North will be one of the best teams we’ve seen. It’s just to be determined whether they are the best team we’ve seen,” Witten said. “But we have an excellent shot — any of these teams do. We think we’re ready and we’ll give it our best shot.”