Softball

Huntington's Lowry Commits to UC
May 19, 2006 

By Travis Hubbard
Huntington Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON- Erin Lowry built a reputation as a clutch power hitter for the Huntington High Highlanders softball team. Now, she's taking that reputation on to a collegiate career at the University of Charleston.

Lowry, a first baseman and second in her class academically entering her senior year, signed a letter of intent on Thursday at a ceremony after school to attend UC and play softball. She hit five home runs this year to up her career total to 13 and was a flawless defender according to HHS head coach Willie Wilson.

"Defensively she was just awesome and solid, and that's a tough place to replace her," Wilson said. "And she's just a clutch power hitter. She probably wasn't as consistent in making contact this year as in past years, but she came through in some clutch situations."

One of those clutch hits was in a come from behind victory against South Charleston. Lowry hit a three-run home run to complete a comeback from a 5-0 deficit for a 7-5 victory. She also hit one of her home runs against Spring Valley freshman phenom Stasia Jackson, one of the top pitchers in the Mountain State Athletic Conference this season.

"It's more exciting to come through in times like that," Lowry said. "For instance, in the South Charleston game it was a big hit for me, but it was also huge for our team because we battled back to win that game."

Lowry knows a little bit about battling back. Her softball career almost ended before she ever played a high school game. The summer prior to her freshman year, she collided with an opponent and broke her left leg. Doctors were amazed that she didn't suffer a compound fracture, but she still had to have two surgeries to repair the leg.

"As soon as it happened, I said I didn't want to play again," Lowry said. "But I think it actually made me a lot better because I had to work and do physical therapy. I had to build a work ethic, and I had never worked that hard before."

She'll take that work ethic to a rebuilding Charleston program where she anticipates trying a move to outfield, a position she's familiar with because she moved to first base in high school. She will be a pre-pharmacy major and also has an interest in physical therapy.

"It's very exciting, especially having all my friends, coaches and teammates there at the signing," Lowry said. "It's a start of something new."