Rosewood's Thornton signs with Gardner-Webb

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 15, 2014 11:03 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

One email and one phone call made the difference.

Callie Thornton couldn't say "no."

Gardner-Webb head coach softball coach Tom Cole had seen Thornton play in a couple of travel-ball tournaments. Her ability and confidence on the diamond impressed him, and he decided she was the type of player he wanted in his program.

Since he couldn't directly speak with her due to NCAA rules, Cole sent Thornton an email and included his phone number.

Thornton made the call.

"He offered me the first time we talked," Thornton said. "He said 'this is how serious I am.' My mom (Lari) just started crying. I took a visit and probably a month or two after my visit, I (verbally) committed because it was around this time last year.

"I had looked at schools that had PA (physician's assistant) programs and they've always been on my list. I was getting really worried because I had talked to ECU and thought that was going to be my only option."

Once Thornton visited G-W, she knew the answer.

And made it official Friday afternoon.

Sitting behind a table adorned with G-W attire and softball equipment, Thornton inked a national letter-of-intent to play for the Runnin' Bulldogs next spring.

Relief shrouded her face.

Not even six months ago, Thornton had a torn labrum in her right shoulder repaired. Her doctor anticipated a release date in January, but three months of intense physical therapy led to clearance last Monday.

Thornton still has to see the surgeon in early December.

"That worried me because of the scholarship," Thornton said. "But coach was confident that I would come back strong."

Last spring, Thornton helped guide Rosewood to a second-round appearance in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A playoffs. The Eagles ended up 11-6, which included a three-way tie for second place with Carolina Conference foes North Duplin and Spring Creek.

Thornton, who pitched and played third base, collected 30 hits and 25 RBI. The aggressive and natural hitter swatted a pair of home runs, logged a .588 batting average and had a slugging percentage of 0.902.

She reached base 65 percent of the time.

Cole is recruiting Thornton as a third baseman.

"He lost his starting third baseman to graduation," Thornton said. "(I have) the chance to step into the lineup as a freshman compared to sitting out my first season ECU, and possibly not getting any playing time the next year.

"I want to step in play immediately."

Gardner-Webb finished 16-36 overall and struggled against Big South Conference opposition. Cole has won more than 400 games during his career and coached a total of 26 all-conference players on the NCCCA and Division I levels and four freshmen All-Americans.

The Runnin' Bulldogs won the Big South's team sportsmanship awards in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

"I was really nervous about talking with him on the phone (the first time)," Thornton said. "But it was like talking with one of my friends. He was so easy to talk to and was more concerned about the kind of education I wanted.

"It wasn't about me coming here just to play softball."