Rylin Hedgecock, a 13-year-old pitcher/third baseman for Hahira Middle School, is a big reason why Hahira is undefeated and has held opponents scoreless with three conference games remaining. She made the conference team as a sixth-grader (the only sixth-grader that year to be recognized), and she has been one of Hahira’s best players since. Do not, however, think that softball comes easy to Hedgecock. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth.
There are two daughters in the Hedgecock family: Rylin and Tori, who is in the sixth grade. Their father, Russ, played baseball at Florida Southern. When the girls were growing up, he steered them in the direction of softball, and the girls took to the sport immediately. Four years ago, after Rylin had already been playing for about four years, she tried out for a travel team. She didn’t make the team, and the news shook her badly. Instead of sitting around and feeling sorry for herself, Hedgecock went to work.
“That’s when she got serious,” said her mother, Heather. “She started taking pitching lessons and hitting lessons. Looking back, she was the weakest player who went out for the team. But getting cut was the best thing that ever happened to her.”
Hedgecock may have been the weakest player that year, but she wouldn’t be the weakest player any longer. She has made tremendous progress in four years. She works every day on some aspect of softball – pitching, hitting, fielding, something.
“She practices five days a week then she often plays tournaments on the weekends,” Heather said. “She is literally out there doing something with softball seven days a week.”
Her travel team, Southern Pride out of Valdosta, recently qualified for ASA Nationals in Indiana. One of 72 teams, Pride finished 
ninth. In 35 innings that week, Hedgecock faced 167 batters and walked only two. She also hit .552, slugged 1.172, and posted an on-base percentage of .710.
At Hahira Middle, she does the same thing. She is an excellent pitcher, a formidable hitter who can hit for average and power, and she’s a leader on a team on a collision course with a conference championship this year.
“I think she’s a really good player,” Heather said. “Of course, I’m ‘Mom’, but she has made tremendous progress. She never gets frustrated, she’s always focused, and she always gets herself out of a jam. I used to worry about her when she was out there on the field but not anymore.”
Staying focused isn’t always an easy thing to do, but it’s the only way to handle the stresses of pitching. “I just try to zone everyone out and keep throwing strikes,” Rylin said. “That can be hard to do.”
Hedgecock, who has also pitched two games for Lowndes High’s junior varsity team this year, understands her role on the team. Heading into the season, she set of goal of winning a conference championship. As a sixth-grader, Hahira finished third in the conference. Last year, they came in second. They’ve improved each year; the only spot left is first.
“I want to win it this year,” Rylin said. “I know I need to be a leader and a role model for the other girls on the team.”
Following in her sister’s footsteps, Rylin’s younger sister Tori is also an up-and-coming threat playing for Hahira Middle. Also a pitcher, Tori often backs up Rylin. And as you might imagine, the two have something of a rivalry with each other.
“Sometimes I like playing with Tori; sometimes she aggravates me,” Rylin said. “It’s a friendly rivalry, though. I always try to stay one step ahead of her. I want to strike out more batters than she does or hit better.”
Hedgecock never gets burned out, and she never wants to take an off day. She is such a good player because she loves the game and gives the game everything she has. She plans to keep playing for as long as she can, which hopefully will take her to Gainesville and her beloved Florida Gators.
“You know, softball doesn’t come easy to her at all,” Heather said. “She works so hard at the game. It’s her life and it’s our life.”
Favorites:
Player: Hannah Rogers
Sport you wish you could play: Baseball
Best movie in the last year: White House Down
Subject: Math
Least favorite: Social studies
Pepsi or Coke? Coke
Super power: Fly
Person to meet: Tim Tebow
Rising Star/South Georgia/October 2014
Rylin Hedgecock
Hahira Middle School
Hahira, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
For Hahira eighth grader, softball is a seven-day-a-week ‘hobby’
