Oakton's Motto: Make States or Bust!
The goal for the Oakton Cougar’s softball team is simple. Qualify for the state tournament giving the team the chance to win the overall title. Coach Pat Purcell believes he has the pieces to the puzzle to get the job done with three players committed to division one colleges on his roster alone for this season.
Last season the Cougars finished with a 22-3 record losing in the regional semi-finals to their rival, Robinson.
“We don’t care if we win the district, just as long as we finish in the top four,” says Coach Purcell, “then we have to finish top two in the region to get to states, that’s our goal.”
Oakton has eight returning players from last year’s 22 win season. All three senior starters are committed to D-1 schools and have started on varsity since their freshman seasons. In fact this team only consists of 12 girls- two freshman, three sophomore, three juniors, and four seniors. Coach Purcell describes this team as a close nit group, which even has sleepovers together.
“Traditionally the girls used to meet up at the beginning of the season and get together at five o’clock in the morning on a Saturday,” says Purcell. “Last year they didn’t do it, and we didn’t go to states. This year they decided to do it again.”
With a team this small in numbers they have to rely heavily on their three outstanding seniors. Let’s start with first team All-Metropolitan Jesse McCarrick. All McCarrick did last season was have a 15-1 record as a pitcher. She sported a 0.26 ERA striking out 217 batters she faced throughout the year. On the offensive side of the ball she batted .508 with 32 hits, six doubles, 16 RBI’s, and 12 runs scored.
“Jesse is this good because she puts a lot of pressure on herself,” says Coach Purcell. “She gets mad when she throws a good pitch and a player even fouls it off, she doesn’t want them to touch it at all.”
Her coach also describes her as a very bright and personable person. “She is very intelligent, I guess that’s why she’ going to Colgate University,” says Purcell.” It’s always easier coaching intelligent players.”
Another one of those smart seniors is pitcher Becky Anderson. Anderson has committed to play college softball locally at George Mason University. Last season she was first team all-district and second team all-region. Her .387 batting average was second only to McCarrick on the squad and she had an ERA of 0.74 while striking out over 28 percent of the batters she faced.
“Becky and Jesse are very similar with how they approach the game,” says Coach Purcell. “She is just a great girl, her sister played for me and is at Brown now, she challenges the other girls to be better, and she is a leader by example.”
Right-fielder Jen Francis is a cornerstone to the success of this Cougar softball team. She was All-Met her sophomore season and was an all-mention for the team her junior season. Her sophomore year she posted a .434 batting average, .715 slugging percentage, and 16 RBI’s. She also stole seven bases and had nine assists on defense. Last season she batted .371, with three home-runs, and 16 RBI’s.
“She is amazingly talented,” says Coach Purcell, “During batting practice she tracks down every fly ball.”
Next year she will be tracking down fly balls at Harvard, where she officially has signed her letter of intent. All three of these outstanding athletes will have to be the leaders of this team if they hope to get back to the state tournament. It will take a concerted effort by all 12 girls to achieve their goals, and with leaders like McCarrick, Francis, and Anderson it shouldn’t be hard to maintain focus.
“These girls have been to states two out of three years,” says Coach Purcell, “The goal is to playing in Christopher Newport.”
