Arlington athlete transitions from baseball to softball, powers Colts to success

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Arlington High junior Abby Moore should know, as she’s seen more than her fair share.

The kind that includes dirt and grass, that is.

But after years of playing baseball — she started at age 4 — she is now playing softball for the Arlington Colts.

“I have loved baseball my whole life - and still do - but realizing that there are more opportunities at the collegiate level for women in softball, I wanted to give it a try,” Moore said.

She’s succeeding at it also. At last count, her batting average was near .400 with 11 home runs and over 30 runs batted in, and at the catcher position, she has a fielding percentage near the .950 mark.

She also helped the Colts advance to the postseason with a third-place finish in District 8-6A. On Friday, April 25, Moore and the Colts advanced to the area round with an 11-5 victory over Irving Nimitz.

Moore had a unique and solid performance, drawing intentional four walks.

In game one of the series, she tallied a team-high three RBIs on two hits, both home runs. After that, her opposition didn’t give her a chance to hit.

Before leading Arlington softball and making the transition this season, Moore’s list of accomplishments on the baseball diamond was catching the eye of many folks. Last summer, she played in the prestigious All-American Women’s Baseball Classic in Durham, North Carolina.

“Being selected for the All-American Women’s Baseball Classic was an honor and amazing experience. In 13 years of playing baseball (including being the first girl in her high school team as part of the junior varsity before this season), this was my first time playing baseball on an all-women’s team,” she said.

“It was fun being part of that community where I made great connections, and it broadened my perspective, including learning that many play both baseball and softball. I have found the benefit of that to be that it keeps your skills sharp and makes you a more well-rounded player.”

In fact, Moore will return to the baseball diamond this summer. She was recruited by and will play for Perfect Catch Girls Baseball out of Chicago, an all-girls baseball team that is part of the Baseball For All program.

Arlington softball coach Valarie Henry praised Moore’s transition from baseball.

“I believe her time in baseball did help her. Softball is a faster-paced game, but she has adapted well since she has played baseball the majority of her life,” Henry said, adding, “I believe Abby has great potential to go play in college.

“Abby has been a key player for Arlington High softball this season. On the field, she is a leader that motivates her teammates, fosters unity, and helps elevate the team’s performance.”

Which, of course, is what is expected from a catcher, a position Moore loves playing.

“From that vantage point, I get to see each play unfold and try to help my teammates with our defensive strategy,” she said.

Moore noted that a lot of people think the games of baseball and softball are very similar. However, there are many differences, she said.

“Some of the adjustments I’ve had to make are the throwing distance from behind the plate to second base, setting my hands higher to hit against the rise ball, and learning to properly catch new movement in the pitches,” she said.

Baseball pitchers throw the ball overhand, whereas softball pitchers have an underhand delivery.

Moore is also an all-around athlete. She was named MVP of the Lady Colts basketball team this past season after averaging 28 minutes, seven points, five rebounds and three assists per game.

But her heart belongs to diamonds and she has her sights on continuing to play one of the sports at the next level.

“It would be amazing to play either baseball or softball in college,” she said.

She is ranked No. 2 academically out of more than 600 students at Arlington High. She plans to major in civil engineering, with Texas A&M’s program at the top of her list.

In addition to athletics, she is in the National Honor Society and Key Club, She mentors elementary students through Peer Assistance Leadership and Service, serves on a youth board for a local nonprofit and works part time at an Arlington sporting goods store.

“I am proud to represent Arlington High School and feel very connected to my community,” she said.

She added with a smile that she’s also started a new tradition.

“I was able to keep my first home run ball as a memento and thought it’d be fun to start a tradition of collecting each of my home run balls — at least for my first season,” she said.

This story was originally published April 30, 2025 at 11:48 AM.