When Mary Catherine Smith started playing softball about five or six years ago, she never thought her career would end up where it is now. Back then, she was playing to have fun and kill some time. Now, she’s 17 years old and one of the best players on a Columbus High team that’s in position for a strong postseason run.
Smith has followed the typical pathway to a successful high school career. She began playing in local leagues, eventually progressing to travel ball. She continued playing travel ball as she earned roster spots on her middle and high school teams. As Smith entered her freshman year, she joined a Lady Blue Devils team that has a proud softball heritage, including a 2009 state championship. Smith has helped add to Columbus High’s championship resume; her sophomore and junior years, they won region titles and launched deep playoff runs. Her 10th grade team eventually finished fifth in the state.
Smith has been a big part of Columbus High’s success. Primarily a pitcher, she can contribute in a number of different ways. At her position, she controls the tempo of the game. A fantastic game manager, she stays calm under pressure and doesn’t get rattled. To be a successful pitcher, you must have a short memory. You can’t dwell on bad pitches, at-bats, or even innings. Smith does a good job of blocking out the negative and focusing on the positive.
“I’m going to pitch my game, and I’m going to stay calm, cool, and collected,” she said. “I strive to be a good leader, and I want to lead by example. I want to show the younger pitchers what they’re supposed to be doing when they step inside that circle.”
Throughout her career, Smith has played in a number of big games and she’s posted some solid numbers along the way. During her sophomore year, Columbus High wasn’t on anyone’s softball radar. The Lady Blue Devils were unranked and barely more than an afterthought. Columbus High rolled through the regular season, won region, and eventually made it to the Elite Eight. “We laid it all on the line that year. It was an awesome feeling,” she said.
Smith pitched in the game leading up to the region championship. She threw well and also contributed at the plate, hitting a home run to help put the Lady 
Blue Devils in position to win the region. “We were prepared to get ahead and never let up. We had a good hitting team and we knew we had to go hard the whole game,” she said.
Her junior year, Columbus High repeated as region champions. The Lady Blue Devils were 20-7 as a team, and Smith posted a 1.60 ERA with 159 strikeouts in 161 innings. She also hit .306. “I get to hit quite a bit. But we have some good hitters so I don’t get to the plate every game,” she says.
This year, Smith would like to see her team win a third straight region championship and bring home another state title. She believes the 2014 edition of the Lady Blue Devils has what it takes to accomplish both.
“We have 11 seniors on this year’s team. One is out due to shoulder surgery so we have 10 who can get on the field and play. We have some great hitters, a great pitching staff, and we play some very good defense. That’s what we need to win – solid pitching, good hitting, and great defense,” she says.
Though Smith and her Columbus High teammates hadn’t played a single game at the time of this interview, she still had a good enough resume to earn a roster spot on a college team. Several schools are interested and she has one scholarship offer on the table. Smith hasn’t made a decision yet and is still weighing her options.
“I’m still visiting and figuring out what I’m looking for in a team,” she said. “I want to go where I can get the most playing time on a competitive team with good facilities, coaches, teammates, and academics. Academics are very important to me,” she said.
Outside of school and softball, Smith is also very involved in her youth group at Morningside Baptist Church. Her faith is very important to her and it is something she relies on every time she steps between the lines on game day. “My relationship with God is very important to me. I know I’m not in control; that someone greater than me is. And win or lose, He has a plan for my life,” she said.
Favorites:
Softball team: University of Alabama
Player: Jennifer Fenton
Sport you wish you could play but can’t: “I don’t want to play anything else.”
Place to travel: Australia
Person to meet: Gabby Douglas
Best movie in the last year: Divergent
Superpower: Super speed
Player Spotlight/Columbus Valley/October 2014
Mary Catherine Smith
Columbus High School
Columbus, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
CHS Senior Pitcher Hopes to Lead Lady Blue Devils to Region, State Titles
