RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Madison “Pickle” Winker is a speedy outfielder and member of the 2022 Extra Elite 100 who plays at Christian County (Hopkinsville, Kentucky) where she’s been a varsity high school player since the 7th grade.
The All-American from Kentucky has blogged for us for over two years and in her first Inside Pitch titled “The Fastest ‘Pickle’ You’ll Ever See ” explained how she got her unique nickname!
Pickle has also learned from some talented older players including Emmy Blane, a current Univ. of Kentucky sophomore who herself was a Top 10 honoree in the 2019 Extra Elite 100.
She herself is committed to stay in-state to play at the next level—you can read about her commit story by clicking HERE.
In her latest blog for Extra Inning Softball, she talks about how last year was going to be a change… and what she’s learned from the adversities she’s encountered…
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My sophomore year (2020) was going to be a new start for everyone.
We had just lost four of our starting seniors, which included University of Kentucky’s Emmy Blane and Murray State University’s Tyler Shemwell.
Along with the loss of those graduated player, we also lost our Head Coach Johnny Blane and Assistant Coach Clyde Lyle.
We walked into our 2020 campaign with a brand-new coach and a different starting nine and I was extremely excited and hopeful for that season.
We had three returning seniors, including our pitcher and Columbia State freshman middle infielder Hope Jones. On top of that, our new head coach was the same coach that made me into the player I was 10 years ago.
It was a very exciting opportunity for each one of us who put on that Christian County Uniform.
Until it wasn’t.
We played one scrimmage game that entire season. COVID-19 ended our season before we had even got the chance to start it, but, we did not know that.
It started with a two-week postponement. Then it was another two-week postponement after another until there was no season left to be had.
All of us missed an entire year of high school ball before we got the opportunity to walk back onto the field. At that point, we had lost seven of our starting nine, three coaches, and several opportunities.
Fast forward one year, and we are halfway through my junior season. Right now, we are 18-8, ranked at #18 in the state of Kentucky.
We started off ranked 3rd in our region in pre-season polls, with two of the top five players in the region, including the pre-season player of the year.
We quickly jumped to the #2 team in the region. We started off our season with a bang. Only losing three of our first 10 games. All three losses came from Top 10 teams in the state.
However, even this year Covid-19 has crept its way into our games.
Our starting catcher got quarantined and we lost a big bat for two weeks. After that, our offense has fallen off. Our pitching and our defense are carrying us right now. We still have a lot of games left to come back and make an impact within our region, and within our state.
Saying that, this season has a different meaning for me. Being my junior season, I’m a role model for our younger girls and the little girls that come and watch. I know I can never be down on myself because there are always eyes on me. That is pressure that I welcome!
I love being the person that everyone looks towards and looks up to. This is my season to show everyone who I am and how much I’ve grown in the year that they haven’t been able to see me.
On top of athletics, I completed 21 college credit hours this year. I finished all seven of my college classes with A’s and I hope to do the same next year.
This season, I’ve made it my goal to break records and get my name on the record board. Stolen bases, runs scored, hits, and walks are the ones I’m going for.
Right now, I’m on track to break the stolen bases and walks and, with a couple good games, I’ll have the chance to break the runs record and the single season hits record.
The stolen base records are over two decades old, and I think breaking that would be a great accomplishment. I want to be able to leave my legacy on that softball field. I want younger girls to be able to see those records and push to break them, the way I push to break the ones before me right now.
Along with that, I’ve been put in for several awards this year. Even if I don’t get them, I think it’s a huge accomplishment for me and my entire team.
Without my team, I wouldn’t be having the season I’m having and I’m forever thankful.
Even though our season is far from over, I believe we have already achieved so much in such little time. After not seeing any high school play in a year, we shook the state.
We were supposed to be the “underdogs” after losing the players and coaches that we had lost, but we are far from being the underdogs…
… and we have the potential to go a long way this year and next!
— Madison “Pickle” Winkler