INDIAN RIVER – Stepping into the pitcher’s circle as a freshman might be intimidating for some players.
But not Azalia Carper, a freshman at Inland Lakes.
Since her first start with the Bulldogs in April, Carper has shown she fears no opponent she’s gone up against, which has resulted in her keeping many of those opposing offenses off-balance.
Sure, there’s been some bumps along the road, but Carper has shown why she might just become the next dominant pitcher in the Inland Lakes program.
Carper provided strong evidence of that last week, as she became the most recent Bulldog to reach 100 strikeouts in a season, joining the likes of former I-L pitching stars like Cloe Mallory, Gracey Henckel and Lexi Kovtun. In addition, Carper delivered the most impressive doubleheader of her career yet, striking out a combined 27 batters – 13 in one game and 14 in the nightcap – in a sweep over Pellston.
“It’s not intimidating – you’ve got to put work in if you want to be good,” Carper said. “If you want to be good, you’ve got to practice hard. I’ve enjoyed (this season so far).”
With Kovtun graduating last spring, the Bulldogs needed to find a new pitcher to take the reins and lead. Up stepped Carper, who was coming off an impressive wrestling season that saw her nearly qualify for the state finals for the first time. She’ll have plenty of time to do that during her career, but once wrestling ended, all focus was shifted to her favorite sport of softball.
While her first game was a learning experience, everything went up from there for Carper, who’s not just a quality pitcher this early, but also one of the Bulldogs’ top offensive players, having already hit two home runs this campaign, including a blast in a home sweep over Gaylord St. Mary on May 8.
What’s also benefited Carper is learning from some of those former I-L standouts like Kovtun, Maggie Grant and Natalie Wandrie, players she’s always looked up to.
“Lexi was so fast, and I just loved watching that, and Natalie was good at everything she did, and Maggie (Grant) has helped me a lot, and I just watched her pitch, and I need her help because she’s so good,” Carper said.
Carper’s emergence comes at a great time for the Bulldogs, who are hoping to reestablish themselves as a power in the Ski Valley Conference and Division 4. As long as she keeps making strides, the Bulldogs should be in good hands, something their coach is thrilled about.
“We really look to see good things from her in the future,” Inland Lakes coach Krissi Thompson said. “She works hard and puts in the time, and you can obviously see the improvement in the field. She might get nervous, but she doesn’t show it. She steps out there with a fearless mentality.
“She’s going to be a great leader.”
It remains to be seen how far Carper’s pitching can lift the Bulldogs in the postseason, but her first season as a varsity player has undoubtedly been a success.
She also knows she hasn’t been able to get to his point alone.
“(This season has) definitely been a lot more fun than the other years I’ve had,” Carper said. “I’ve grown close with the upperclassmen, and I’ve gotten to be friends with them, and that’s helped.”
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Freshman Azalia Carper an emerging star with Inland Lakes softball
Reporting by Jared Greenleaf, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
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