Bobby Bishop repeated the words “versatile” and “consistent” multiple times when talking about Taylor Carlton.
The Franklin senior is versatile when it comes to positions she can play on the softball diamond. Carlton has mostly played third and first base. However, she was a catcher in middle school, and filled in at shortstop once for a teammate who was out sick.
“She’s just very versatile. She can play about anywhere you put her,” said Bishop, who has been the head or assistant coach throughout Carlton’s career.
“When she gets to college, she’s gonna be a big asset to them for that simple reason. You can put her at third, you can put her at first. You can catch her. Heck, you could put her in the outfield and she’d do fine there too.”
Carlton will continue her playing career at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory. She accepted an offer from CVCC coach Josh Bumgarner in March.
Bumgarner, who has been in charge of starting the CVCC softball program, which started playing games for the first time this spring, mentioned the same thing as Bishop about Carlton’s fielding.
“Taylor in the infield gives us multiple positions which she can play,” Bumgarner said, “and we wouldn’t be afraid to put her anywhere in the dirt with her strong glove.”
Carlton’s consistency comes at the plate. She played on varsity all four years, hitting .293 as a freshman, .391 as a sophomore and .412 as a junior. She earned all-conference and all-state honors the past two years, and ranked among the team leaders in several offensive categories.
Throughout her career, she’s drawn more walks than strikeouts. Last year was her best yet in that regard, earning six free passes against only two strikeouts.
“She doesn’t strike out much,” Bishop said. “If you ask her to square around and bunt, or anything you ask her to do, she does. If all the kids were like that it would be so much easier to coach.”
Carlton was 6 when she first started playing softball. Around the age of 12, she began taking it very seriously, joining a travel team based in Atlanta.
Several colleges were scouting her at that time, she said, but she suffered an ankle injury and was forced to take some time off in the fall and winter, when she would normally be working hard for the next season.
She found the time away made her realize something.
“I’ve missed this sport,” she said. “I really think this is the right choice for me.”
While she also played volleyball and basketball for the Panthers, softball has been her biggest passion athletically.
When the season was put on hold in mid-March, only four games into her senior year, Carlton was devastated.
“My heart kind of broke, because softball has been everything to me,” she said. “That’s the sport I’ve been waiting for all year. I was trying to get the highest and the best I’ve ever done throughout my four years.”
While she hasn’t been able to play games and have a normal senior year, she still accepted the CVCC offer around the time the
coronavirus pandemic hit.
“I didn’t get to go on my official visit, because the week I was going to everything shut down,” Carlton said. “But I could just tell how the coach was. I’ve heard good things about the school. Then I looked into it. And it just sounded like the right thing to do.”
Carlton certainly won’t be alone at the next level. She’ll room with close friend Haley Freeman, who also committed to the Red Hawks last month. Also, Paige Norton, a shortstop on the 2018 FHS team that went to the state championship, is on the roster.
“Both these young ladies bring big-game experience to our club with their recent playoff runs,” Bumgarner said of Carlton and Freeman. “Both bring a lot of pop in their bat and we will look to reload some of our power hitting with these two.”
Freeman has enjoyed many great times on and off the field with Carlton.
“I’m very proud of her and what she’s become,” Freeman said. “She’s a very strong athlete. No matter what, she’ll do anything for the team. And when the pressure gets on, she normally pulls through pretty good.”
Carlton is the daughter of Jessica Hyer and Bobby Carlton. She plans on studying exercise science to become a physical therapist, or doing something in the medical field.
She thanked current softball coaches Bobby Bishop and Kaitlin Bishop; former coach Adam Tallent; and volleyball coach Bekah Brooks.
“They’re always there to support me,” Carlton said. “If I ever ask for extra work, they’re right there to step in.”
FHS athletic director Blair King called Carlton an absolute joy to know, adding it’s been an honor to watch her give max effort the past four years.
“She is an incredible and very humble young lady,” King said. “Catawba Valley is getting a steal in signing her. Her accolades in softball speak for themself. She is by far the best third baseman in Western North Carolina and the ultimate team player.”