Challenging choice
Lady Mikes star McConnell opts for Pre Law over college softball
Anybody that has seen Carys McConnell play for Carmichaels the last four years knows she has the talent to succeed at the college level.
She无毛视频檚 a multi-time All-State selection and the anchor of the Lady Mikes lineup, as well as an athletic defender at shortstop.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 unreal what she can do on the softball field,无毛视频� Lady Mikes coach Dave Briggs said.
But McConnell came to a crossroads last year and chose to focus solely on her education.
She无毛视频檚 going to Pitt to enter a Pre Law program and will hang up her cleats at the end of this season.
That means this is her final year playing organized softball and she hopes to go out on a high note with the Lady Mikes.
无毛视频淚 kept going back and forth the last three years, because I really like playing softball,无毛视频� McConnell said of her decision. 无毛视频淚 did feel like I was drained out a lot, because that无毛视频檚 all I无毛视频檝e done is play softball since I was young.无毛视频�
Carmichaels has made the WPIAL finals each of the last three years and McConnell wants to help get the team over the hump and win a district title.
She showed her ability to impact a game last Friday at West Greene.
McConnell hit the go-ahead RBI single in the fifth inning and blasted a solo homer over the left field fence at Center Township Park Field in a 3-1 win over the Lady Pioneers. The win helped propel Carmichaels to sole possession of the Section 2-A championship. It无毛视频檚 the fourth year the Lady Mikes have finished in first place with McConnell in the starting lineup.
Hitting home runs is fun, but McConnell also has a love for the law. She hopes to be a divorce mediator once she graduates from law school.
That无毛视频檒l start at Pitt. Once she was accepted, she knew it was her best option.
无毛视频淲hen I toured Pitt, I knew I wanted to go there, because I want to go into law,无毛视频� McConnell said. 无毛视频淚 got into Pitt and at that point I knew I had to go. I enjoyed the campus. I fell in love with it.无毛视频�
Lady Mikes starting pitcher Bailey Barnyak was appreciative of the run support McConnell provides and having her defense at shortstop behind her.
无毛视频淎nytime a ball is hit her way, I take my mask off and start walking off the field,无毛视频� Barnyak said. 无毛视频淚 know she无毛视频檚 going to make the play every time.无毛视频�
Barnyak and McConnell are good friends and have been ever since they started playing together.
无毛视频淚 didn无毛视频檛 start playing softball until I was in seventh grade and I have played with her the whole time,无毛视频� Barnyak said. She definitely took me in and made it fun.无毛视频�
Briggs said selfishly he wishes he could go see McConnell play in college in the future, but understands her decision.
无毛视频淚 wish her nothing but the best,无毛视频� Briggs said. 无毛视频淪he has to do what无毛视频檚 best for her. School and softball together can be tough sometimes. It无毛视频檚 a lot of time, but I love what she does for our team.无毛视频�
McConnell said it hasn无毛视频檛 really hit her yet that this is her final season playing softball. She无毛视频檚 too focused on the next game in front of her to look that far down the path.
The Lady Mikes hope it无毛视频檚 a long path. One that leads first to California for another crack at a WPIAL title and then maybe even up to State College for a PIAA championship.
Wherever it goes, McConnell will be giving everything she has to try and get that elusive gold medal.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 very important,无毛视频� McConnell said. 无毛视频淚 feel like it hasn无毛视频檛 set in yet, because I无毛视频檓 just playing for fun right now, but I know I无毛视频檓 going to be so upset when it无毛视频檚 over. It does mean a lot. I want to win everything now, because it无毛视频檚 my last year.无毛视频�