Once again, Panther softball had some of the best talent in the mountains this year.
At the end of the spring season, which saw Franklin accrue a 15-4 record and finish second in a tough Mountain Seven, the conference’s coaches met for their annual postseason meeting to discuss M7C business and select an All-Conference team. There, nine Panthers (seven First Team and two Honorable Mention) were named All-M7C for 2024, including five who were later named All-State by the N.C. Softball Coaches’ Association. The Press will recount the seasons of four of these nine players below, to be continued in next week’s edition.
Olivia Birchard
After an All-State sophomore season and a junior year marred by injury, Olivia Birchard looked like her old self in 2024. Earning a conference Catcher of the Year nomination and also spending time at first base, the second-time All-State selection had one of Franklin’s surest gloves this spring, finishing third on the team with a .978 fielding percentage (among Panthers with more than two total chances). Leading the team far and away with 134 total chances, Birchard posted 127 put-outs and four assists, committing just three errors to go along with three double plays. On the basepath the senior was Franklin’s best player on both sides of the ball, leading the team with 10 stolen bases and allowing just one at catcher.
Batting fourth in the order, Birchard acted as Franklin’s cleanup hitter, tying for fourth on the team with 23 hits including six doubles and a triple. She finished fifth on the team in both on-base percentage (.458) and slugging percentage (.500), and sixth in batting average (.371), RBIs (13) and runs scored (14).
“Olivia had a really good year her sophomore year, and had a good year going last year as a junior until she got hurt and had to have shoulder surgery,” said head coach Bobby Bishop. “She came back, and I know she probably wasn’t 100%, but she played hard. She’s always done whatever we’ve asked her to do. I don’t know that she had caught much – maybe back when she was little – until she was a sophomore, and I said, ‘Would you care to catch some?’ By the end of the year she was playing really good back there, and that’s the reason those last couple games we actually [played her at catcher] and played Avery in center, because we felt like it was more to our benefit and made us a better overall team.”
Laura Holland
Earning an All-State selection and her second straight All-District honor, Laura Holland turned in the best season of her career in 2024. A classic contact hitter through her first three years with the program, the senior blossomed into one of Franklin’s best offensive threats, finishing fourth on the team in average (.377), total hits (23), extra-base hits (11) and runs scored (20). Holland’s eight doubles and two home runs were both good for third team-wide, including her game-winning sixth-inning long ball versus Madison March 28. The hit was named one of just two Franklin Panther Sports Network Plays of the Year at the school’s annual Athletic Awards Ceremony May 23.
As Franklin’s everyday right fielder for the past two years, Holland has long had one of the team’s toughest defensive assignments, often playing with the sun directly in her eyes during evening games at Macon Middle School. Despite this she recorded 15 put-outs and three assists in 23 total chances.
“Laura is probably one of the most improved players that I’ve ever had come through, from the time that she got here and started until she finished,” said Bishop. “If you’d have told me Laura Holland was gonna hit two home runs this year I’d have told you you were crazy, not because she [doesn’t have power], but because she’d always just been kind of a line drive, dinker-type hitter. … Fast, could kind of slap and lay down bunts up the right field line, and I think she probably had three, four, five hits this year just on bunts. … Probably one of the best kids I’ve ever coached as far as never saying a word out of the way to coaches or anybody else. Just a super kid.”
Ashlyn McConnell
Having burst onto the scene with an All-State freshman season, Ashlyn McConnell was even better as a sophomore. Leading off the Panther order, McConnell was one of the Mountain Seven’s best hitters this year, finishing second on the team and third conference-wide with an even .500 average. Her 37 total hits tied for first among Panthers, including 14 doubles, two triples and a home run. She also turned in the team’s lowest strikeout rate with just four in 74 at-bats, and finished third in OPS (on base-plus-slugging percentage) at 1.327.
Moving from the outfield to the infield this year, McConnell became the latest in a long line of great Panther shortstops, routinely making excellent diving grabs and pinpoint throws. The sophomore easily led the team with 48 assists and seven double plays, adding 29 put-outs and just five errors on the year. She was also one of Franklin’s most dangerous baserunners, finishing second on the team with eight stolen bags.
“We’ve had some pretty good shortstops the last eight or so years in the program, and she played a really good shortstop this year and made a lot of good plays,” said Bishop. “She led off for us all year and did a great job getting on. Ashlyn plays a lot during the summer and the fall, and it’s easy enough to tell when kids play a lot of ball because they’re just a step or two up on some things – knowing where to throw the ball, knowing when to hold the ball, knowing when to cover second or third on a bunt or a slap, and she’s just very familiar with all that stuff. That means a whole lot in this day and time.”
Avery Moffitt
A three-time All-State selection and the Mountain Seven’s Catcher of the Year, Avery Moffitt brought a fitting end to her illustrious career. Spending time behind the plate, at first base and in center field, the senior was as close to automatic as it’s possible to be, leading the conference with a .989 fielding percentage. In 94 total chances she committed just one error, allowing zero stolen bases and racking up 82 put-outs, 11 assists and two double plays.
Batting third in the order, Moffitt was also one of Franklin’s most dangerous threats, finishing third on the team and fifth conference-wide with a .451 average. In power hitting she and teammate Kendall Rumans formed a league of their own, jacking 10 and 12 home runs, respectively and adding one grand slam apiece. No other Mountain Seven hitter recorded more than three. Moffitt also added seven other extra-base hits, finishing second conference-wide in RBIs (35) and slugging percentage (1.000), fifth in runs scored (24) and seventh on on-base percentage (.487). The senior will join the NCAA Division II National Champion North Georgia Nighthawks this fall. Bishop said that while Moffitt’s skills at the plate are obvious, her fielding has long gone overlooked.
“Her and Olivia split the time up because Avery’s knees were hurting her a little bit this year, and Olivia’s shoulder still wasn’t the best in the world, but they both were actually nominated along with another catcher, too,” said Bishop. “She played center field for us when she didn’t catch and even played first base a couple of games, and Olivia played first base some games, so we had to do some rotating around depending on who we were playing and what we needed the most. But, she did a great job. I’m not positive when she goes to North Georgia if she’s gonna be catching or playing the outfield or what, but she’s very gifted. She could play probably any of the outfield positions, play first or catch, so she’ll do fine wherever she’s at.”