‘The Lone Pitcher’ signs to play at next level

This is the final article in a three part series on the Wimberley athletes that signed to continue their playing careers at the next level.

Being the starting pitcher in softball is one of the hardest things on the field.

But to be the only pitcher is a task all of its own.

It’s the role senior pitcher Ashlyn Castro has relished in over the past year as she helped lead the Texans softball team to the playoffs in 2019 and 2021. She hopes to do so again as one of the few seniors on the team.

Now she is taking her role to the next level as Castro signed with Northeast Texas Community College to play softball for the Eagles on National Signing Day.

For Castro, it’s a journey she didn’t know where it was going to end.

“It’s a big relief,” Castro said. “Knowing that when I first started, I didn’t know if I wanted to play college ball, and now as a senior I’m here signing with everyone. It’s a big relief.”

It was an easy decision for Castro when Northeast Texas CC came into contact with her and showed her the campus in Mount Pleasant.

“I was going to a camp,” Castro said. “I had emailed them (Northeast Texas CC) and Coach Josh ended up not being there, but he wanted me to come out there and visit the campus. I absolutely fell in love with the campus and the coaching staff. Ever since then we have been talking back and forth, and when he offered I committed.”

But as all roads, playing from high school to the collegiate level, the road for Castro is not without their pitfalls.

“It’s definitely been a rough journey,” Castro said. “But it’s definitely been fun. All the ups and downs make it worth it.”

As mentioned earlier, being one of the few pitchers on the team is a tough task to handle but it’s a role Castro has relished and hopes to bring to Northeast Texas Eagles softball team.

“Definitely being the only pitcher on varsity,” Castro said. “It’s definitely hard, but I know everybody looks up at me as the leader. It’s fun, but that’s definitely been the hardest obstacle.”

But being the so-called “Lone Pitcher”, Castro has also taken up the role of being a mentor to a young Texans softball team who has seen growing pains over the last season.

Despite being on a team that was filled to the brim with underclassmen, for Castro it’s being a positive role model for them and giving the younger players a much needed confidence boost when they are down.

“Giving them a confidence boost,” Castro said. “I know it’s hard being a young team. These girls are like ‘Wow it’s really difficult playing against these older girls.’ It’s hard on them, and I was there at one point. But as long as they have the confidence there, that’s what makes it work.”

Now for Castro and the young Texans, the goal is to make it back into the playoffs.