After a breakout freshman year, Chiles softball sophomore ace Anna Kate Barber has emerged as one of the most dominant players in the Big Bend, powering the Timberwolves on both sides of the ball.
Barber is 10-2 in the circle and has already racked up 107 strikeouts with a 1.72 ERA, putting her on pace to surpass last year’s 142-strikeout season, which earned her All-Big Bend honors. The right-hander’s continued rise has impressed head coach Cyndi Jeyvak, who said Barber’s growth has been noticeable.
“She’s going to continue to grow,” Jeyvak said. “Just from last year to this year, she has increased her speed. She’s getting better with her pitches, making tweaks to master her craft. She’s the kid you want in there because she has grit. She grinds and just throws it.”
Barber isn’t just leading the Timberwolves in the circle — she’s producing at the plate, too. She’s hitting .429 with 18 hits, 14 RBIs, 14 runs and four home runs.
Her steady presence on both ends, Jeyvak said, stems from a genuine love for the sport.
“A lot of it is just having that drive,” Jeyvak said. “The passion and wanting to be out there and be better, wanting to make adjustments and be a good teammate.”
Barber began playing softball at 9 years old and has been hooked ever since. While motivated to improve on her game, she still enjoys living in the moment in her young softball career.
“I just love the thrill of the game and the adrenaline rush,” Barber said. “Getting the chance to play and glorify God every time I pick up a ball.”
Chiles thrives in tight games
The Timberwolves have been hardened by close contests this season. Their only two losses were by one run, and their last two wins came down to the final moments.
Before spring break, Chiles edged rival Lincoln 5-4 on a walk-off. On March 23, the Timberwolves returned from the break with a 6-5, eight-inning win over St. John Paul II.
“I feel like we’re a scrappy team and that we always put up a fight,” Barber said. “I know everyone is going to give their best effort no matter what, and I’m just happy to have every one of them as my teammates.”
Young roster, high expectations
Chiles carries only two seniors — Kaitlyn Fagan and Mackenzie Githens — but the team returned significant talent from last year’s group that reached the Class 5A regional semifinals. With Barber leading the pitching staff and several young players stepping into bigger roles, expectations remain high.
“We have the potential to go really far,” Jeyvak said. “It’s just a matter of getting them all to work together. We’ve got some really good pitchers. It’s just putting it all together.”
Jeyvak said Fagan and Githens have embraced their leadership roles and continue to set the tone for the underclassmen.
“These guys have been district champs for many years, so they know how to get there,” Jeyvak said. “It’s just getting all of us playing for each other.”
Other key contributors include junior infielder Benny Powell, who leads the team with 18 runs and Sophomore catcher Mia Hemingway, who is first on the team with 19 RBIs, along with 13 hits and three home runs. Hemingway said she sees steady improvement in the Timberwolves’ chemistry and energy.
“I can see us grow a lot as a team,” Hemingway said. “Right now we’re doing a good job with what we have, and I just can’t wait to see where this team can go.”
With Barber setting the tone, veteran leadership guiding the way and young talent filling out the lineup, Chiles believes it has all the pieces — now it’s about fitting them together for another deep postseason run.
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Rising star Anna Kate Barber leads Chiles softball in tight, gritty wins
Reporting by Peter Holland Jr., Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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