Belpre’s Taylor Parker to play softball at Glenville State
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BELPRE -- The opportunity to play college softball is a dream come true for Belpre senior Taylor Parker.
Tuesday, Parker signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball at Glenville State College. The Pioneers are a Division II program who play in the Mountain East Conference.
"Since I was 9 I've worked very hard to achieve that goal to play at the next level," said Parker, who plans to major in education and could see herself coaching softball one day. "It definitely means a lot to have that opportunity, and for that coach to say 'I want you to play for me.'"
Glenville head coach Sara Scoone, entering her second year with the program, played a major role in recruiting Parker.
"I went to tour the campus and meet the coach and she was amazing," Parker said. "The school is little, not too little, but small enough for me because I've lived in a small town my whole life and it made me feel comfortable. It's a beautiful campus and a beautiful place and that really drove my decision."
The Pioneers are adding a solid, experienced player to their roster. Parker, who plays catcher and third base, started for Belpre as a freshman, hitting .321 with nine runs-batted-in. After her sophomore season was canceled due to COVID-19, Parker came back her junior season to hit .315 with 14 RBIs. She showed a great eye for the strike zone, walking 19 times and getting on base at a .457 clip. Parker helped lead the Golden Eagles to a Division IV sectional title in 2021.
"It's been an honor to coach Taylor and see her set a goal and work so hard during the season, during travel and fall ball, and through countless clinics and camps in order to make that dream a reality," said Belpre softball coach Stephanie Evans. "Taylor is going to do great things at the collegiate level and in life in general. She is a natural-born leader and it shows in everything she does."
Parker also has played travel softball most of her life. As a high school player, she's earned several accolades including All-TVC and all-district honors.
"I've been a starter since freshman year," she said. "I would play every game and, more or less, just get feedback from my high school coaches and travel ball coaches. That drove me, especially my high school coach. She definitely pushed me."
Nobody has had a bigger influence on Parker's softball career than her father, Keith Parker.
"My dad has been through everything with me," she said. "He's taken me to all my games, and traveling with him after games and having those long talks about my skill and myself has been the highlight of my whole softball career."
Parker is looking forward to her senior season this spring and thinks Belpre has a chance to do some special things.
"We have a captains chat with the seniors, and we've all set a goal of just being more of a family this year," Parker said. "Instead of playing together and kind of disappearing, let's make it a team effort."
Jordan Holland can be reached at jholland@mariettatimes.com.