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Little lie pays off for Patton
By LINDA ROTHSTEIN © St. Petersburg Times, published March 8, 2001 LAND O'LAKES -- Ashley Patton became a pitcher by way of a fib. When she moved to Florida in eighth grade, Patton told her new Little League coach she was a pitcher despite playing catcher since she started playing. "I just made it up, and they all thought it was true," Patton said. Now that little lie has garnered the Land O'Lakes senior a scholarship to Pasco-Hernando Community College. Patton knew she was a competitor since she started playing as a 6-year-old. "It was just me and this other girl playing (T-ball) with all guys," Patton said. "And I was actually one of the girls doing cartwheels in the outfield." Her father pulled her aside and asked if she wanted to keep playing. Patton said she did and hasn't looked back since. "Thankfully, I said yes because that's how I'm getting through college," Patton said. Last year, Patton was the Pasco Times and Sunshine Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She went 14-11 with a 1.54 ERA while throwing more innings (161) and striking out more batters (183) than any other pitcher in the county. Patton has started every varsity game since she joined the Gators as a freshman. "She's had the experience of playing. And she works very, very hard and has done nothing but get better every year since the ninth grade," Land O'Lakes coach Jerry English said. "She has a lot of versatility that is an advantage to her. She's got the good physical ability. She's got the mental attitude, too. Her leadership skills are contagious to the rest of the kids." But it wasn't just her numbers that PHCC coach Tom Ryan was interested in. The Conquistadors have had their eye on Patton for several years, especially since Patton began attending pitching camps with assistant coach Steve Miller. "First of all, Ashley is a quality person," Ryan said. "She comes from a great family, which is very supportive. She's a good student and an excellent athlete. That's a combination that coaches love to have." Ryan will start Patton almost immediately. The Conquistadors lose two all-conference pitchers, Michele Spina and Laura Helt, to graduation. "She will fill a very high need for us next year," Ryan said. "It's not easy to walk in and replace those kinds of pitchers. But with a high-caliber pitcher like Ashley, she'll bring a tremendous work ethic and rise to the occasion." Starting right away influenced Ashley's decision to commit to PHCC, she said. "They said, 'You're probably going to come in and pitch a lot,' and that's perfectly fine with me," Patton said. "Their program is awesome, and I know that they'll help me move on for my last two years."
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