'Holy crap': What it's like to be on the field with North Buncombe pitcher Karlyn Pickens
WEAVERVILLE — Even after the ball had landed beyond the left-field fence, Ellie Rinkus' teammates and coaches couldn't believe what she'd just accomplished.
"Everyone else was like, 'Oh, it probably hopped over the fence,'" Rinkus said. "I was like, 'That fence is huge.' I started jogging, and my coach was like, 'Make a turn to two and stop there.' And I was like, 'It's over!'"
Rinkus saw the ball go over the fence but was nonetheless stunned, putting her hands on her helmet in disbelief as she rounded second base after homering off one of the top pitchers in the country.
Once the North Lincoln outfielder had finished her home run trot, North Buncombe's ace Karlyn Pickens had a begrudging grin on her face as she tipped her cap, knowing how rare Rinkus' blast was.
The defending Gatorade State Player of the Year and one of the hardest throwing pitchers in the country, Pickens presents a unique challenge and offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to everybody on the field, from opponents to teammates to umpires.
"I was extremely shocked, extremely happy and thankful [to homer off her]," Rinkus said. "I know how good of a pitcher she is. I was just so happy."
The Black Hawks' fourth-round game Friday at Crest will be their 24th of the season, but Rinkus was just the second batter to homer off the Tennessee signee this year. Reynolds catcher Ivy Holley took her deep March 15.
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Holley, a Belmont Abbey signee, said hitting Pickens can feel overwhelming and might "seem impossible" at first, but felt her home run was evidence that Pickens' opponents can succeed with the proper mentality and adjustments.
"Knowing I've struggled with her before and being able to adjust and succeed in that way," Holley said. "It was a surreal moment. It was crazy."
North Buncombe senior Cheyenne Cable also had an "I can't believe this is happening" moment with Pickens this year.
An injury to Black Hawks starting catcher Julianna Mendoza forced Cable to move from the infield to behind the plate this month.
"I just thought like, 'Holy crap, I haven't caught in forever,'" Cable said. "I just stepped up and said, 'I may not be able to catch it the first couple of times and have to adjust to it, but I'll get it down."
It's far from an enviable position. Pickens' pitching coach, Brandon Carr, described his occasional times filling in as emergency catcher during their lessons as "not a pleasurable experience."
Cable said Pickens was patient with her initially as they worked together in practice, and now both members of the battery expect most of the flamethrower's offerings to be received cleanly.
Still, corralling Pickens' 70-plus mph fastball and crisp riseball necessitates some room for error: Cable aims to limit the number of passed balls to three in a game.
"Her rise ball really rises a lot, so you really have to be on your toes for that one," Cable said. "But she rarely misses her spots, so she makes it really easy on me."
Area umpires are certainly thankful for Pickens' control.
Home plate umpires usually offer a comment about Pickens' velocity following the game, Cable said, which she responds to with a knowing chuckle. If she blocks a pitch in the dirt, it's not uncommon for them to thank her for saving them from a bruise.
Cable hasn't stood in the box against Pickens in several years, but said she thinks her newfound familiarity with her pitches would give her a better chance to avoid being "blown away" the way almost all batters are when they first face her.
Rinkus and Holley's longballs suggest that Cable's instincts are right, and experience seeing Pickens up close can pay dividends. But their descriptions of success show that even if you think you've gotten her pitches timed up and come to the plate with a plan, actually besting Pickens can still feel like a miracle.
"It's definitely an honor and one of my biggest accomplishments," Holley said. "I'll definitely remember that the most."
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: What it's like to play with Tennessee softball signee Karlyn Pickens
