PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Ashley Robinson, L.D. Bell
Sport: Softball
Position: Pitcher
Class: Sophomore
Her story: Robinson is in her second year on the Lady Raiders varsity squad and eighth year overall of playing softball. While growing up, she'd always go to her brother's baseball games and at around age 6 had her dad teach her the game that she immediately fell in love with. It was a bit overwhelming for her last season as a freshman, but with only two not returning to this year's team, the Lady Raiders found themselves more experienced. Robinson's pitching mate, fellow sophomore Kensi Mankel, went down with an ACL injury three weeks ago, but Robinson still wants her team to know that they can succeed with just her on the mound. Elizabeth Glaze was one player last season that talked Robinson down in tough situations, keeping her calm and steady. “She just kept telling me to keep my cool and that the team would back me up,” Robinson said. She's also been playing select ball for the past seven years, starting out as a catcher, but saw a friend pitch and one day told her father that she could do that. Robinson also hits, and feels that hitting is a stress reliever, but loves the feeling of getting a crucial out as a pitcher versus hitting a home run at the plate. Last season, she and Mankel combined for a deadly one-two punch for the Lady Raiders, the former pitching in eight games, including in the first round of the playoffs against Flower Mound Marcus.
Fun fact: Robinson works out with former Baylor star Whitney Cannon, trying to gain knowledge from the Bears stand-out – getting better, hitting her spots and understanding the pressures of the game. She also has thrown a no-hitter in select league play.
She said: “I love the team bonding and hanging out with my teammates. Pitching last year as the youngest on the team, it was a bit scary, because I didn't want to let the team down.”
- Brian Gosset, bgosset@star-telegram.com
This story was originally published March 23, 2015 at 11:55 AM with the headline "PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Ashley Robinson, L.D. Bell."