ALL-AREA -- Phillips selected softball pitcher-of-the-year

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on June 15, 2014 12:14 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Coming into the season Charles B. Aycock sophomore Allie Phillips had very little varsity experience inside the pitcher's circle.

She threw just nine innings during her freshman year.

But head coach Emily Burke saw Phillips improve into more than just the thrower she was in her first-year. She made the left-hander the primary pitcher for the Golden Falcons this season and Phillips showed everyone just how much she improved.

"She learned a lot about setting up players with her pitches," Burke said. "She became a pitcher rather than a thrower."

Phillips led the team in the circle all the way to the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A state finals where the Golden Falcons fell to Sun Valley in two games.

"I thought the season went very well," said Phillips, who has been selected as the 2014 News-Argus All-Area softball pitcher-of-the-year.

"I worked hard, we all did as a team, to get to the championship game. I hate that the championship ended like it did, but that doesn't define us as a team. I'm proud to help get us to the championship."

Phillips' exuberance proved critical.

"I'm extremely proud of her," Burke said. "It was her first major contribution to varsity. Asking a sophomore with as little experience as she had to carry the team via the mound, you couldn't ask for any more than what she did.

"And she's only going to get better."

But how much better could she get?

If it's much better, opposing teams should look out.

Phillips posted a 13-4 record on the mound this season with a 1.68 earned run average. She struck out more than 65 batters in nearly 100 innings.

On the rare occasion that Phillips found herself in trouble it was because she lost control of her pitches. She issued more than 35 walks and on occasion had to pitch from behind in counts or battle with multiple runners on base.

Still, opposing teams batted .197 against her.

Phillips' demeanor never changed.

"I think I matured on the mound," Phillips said. "I knew I had to be a leader on the mound because it's a tremendous responsibility. I had to learn to keep my composure and not let things get to me."

Burke wants her young sophomore to continue to develop. She says getting her to add pitches to her repertoire could make her even potentially more difficult to hit.

"I'm looking for her to continue to develop some pitches that we've been working on," Burke said. "And also to continue to be a leader on and off the field."