[Baltimore Sun] Carroll County Times 2024 softball All-County: Francis Scott Key’s Jasmine Kline, Liberty’s Kaelin Ault given top honors
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A look at Francis Scott Key pitcher Jasmine Kline and some may get the wrong idea about the talented junior.
When she was locked in, her game face was on as she stood tall in the circle, ready to silence all the noise and end the hopes of any hitters looking to reach base and inflict damage.
Kline proved early and often that her intensity was for good reason and yielded some great results. She finished the year 17-1 with a 2.00 ERA, 161 strikeouts, an opponent batting average of just .155. She led the Eagles to repeat county and regional titles, as FSK advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in over 25 years.
For her efforts, Francis Scott Key’s Jasmine Kline has been named 2024 Carroll County Times softball pitcher of the year.
“The year obviously didn’t end the way we wanted as we were one game away from a state final,” FSK coach Stephen Turner said. “But for Jas, she was able to go out, do some great things for us and lead us very far.”
Perhaps just as misleading as her in-game scowl were Kline’s numbers. Despite her strikeout count being down a little from her 2023 season, those who saw Kline pitch and looked beyond the numbers saw a much better pitcher.
“She made some adjustments,” Turner said. “We saw her just gain more and more confidence and she really went from being a thrower to a complete pitcher that controlled the entire game this season.”
Kline was more efficient in 2024, staying calm after a walk or ignoring when the opposing team’s bench cheered and chanted at her to throw her off. Instead Kline had hitters thrown off all season, working counts and inducing weak ground balls and pop outs.
As a result, Kline threw less pitches, held opponents to a lower batting average and still dominated the county’s best hitters.
“I learned how to be more efficient with my pitching this year,” Kline said. “Pitching isn’t all about strikeouts, it’s about hitting my spots, pitching to contact and letting my defense work.”
The Eagles defense behind her often showed up, in large part because of the attitude of their leader and ace. After an inning in the field, that game face was completely gone as Kline returned to her true self on the bench.
Often the loudest on a energetic Eagles bunch that has dominated the county for two years now, Kline was often all smiles on the bench, cheering on her teammates, making silly faces, leading chants, singing the lyrics to the music that played in between innings and just enjoying the game.
“People think I’m mean, but I’m just super competitive,” Kline said. “I love to win, yeah, but the most important thing for me is making sure my teammates and I are out there having fun together.”
Led by Kline, the Eagles had fun and won, extending their county game winning streak to 28 games with a second regional title. Her 2024 once again proves that you can have the best of both worlds, regardless of what faces you make.
Liberty catcher Kaelin Ault hit .515 with 14 extra base hits and 23 RBIs, and is the Carroll County Times 2024 softball Offensive Player of the Year. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Offensive Player of the Year: Kaelin Ault, Liberty
For a Liberty team stacked with offensive and defensive talent, all they needed was the right push — a spark plug that could bring out the best in a squad that had constantly been a thorn in the side of the county and state’s best.
Luckly for everyone, catcher Kaelin Ault put the “lead” in leadoff for not just the Lions lineup, but for the defense as well.
“She was spectacular for us this year,” Liberty coach Chris Szocik said. “Having her was like having another coach on the field just based on how she played, how she carried herself and the way she just had an amazing impact on everyone on the team.”
Nestled in the leadoff spot, Ault batted .515 with 14 extra base hits, 23 RBIs, and an OPS 1.415, all while holding down the Lions defense from behind the plate, catching every inning, managing pitchers and keeping the base paths clear by throwing out several runners who dared to test the Lee University commit.
For her efforts, Liberty’s Kaelin Ault has been named Carroll County Times softball Offensive Player of the Year.
At the plate, fans were treated to a more relaxed Ault, setting the tone for the rest of the Lions’ lineup with her aggressive approach and production at the plate.
“I knew my job was to get on base regardless of whether it was a hit or a walk,” Ault said. “I knew who was behind me. I knew we had a strong lineup and I wanted to make sure I communicated with them about what I was seeing so they were ready for it.”
With Ault leading the way, the Liberty lineup scored double-digit runs in 10 games this season. It was the Lions’ offensive explosion in the regional semifinal against Catoctin that may have been the greatest display of a lineup led by Ault.
Ault reached base on a single on the game’s first pitch, coming around to score later in the inning. After that, every Lion that came to the plate got a hit and the Lions one through five hitters each finished the game with multiple hits and combined for nine RBIs as the Lions exploded for 13 runs on 15 hits, including a 10-run seventh inning.
“We just played so free that game,” Ault said. “From the opening pitch we just clicked and we knew we’d be playing a tough team and it didn’t matter.”
When she traded in her bat for her catcher’s gear, Ault was the exact same way, calling pitches, keeping runners honest on the bases and making sure her pitchers were cool, calm and collected in the game’s most tense moments.
“My approach to catching is to just be that rock for my defense,” Ault said. “Everyone is looking at you so you have to keep that winning mentality, never be too down or upset and just be ready to make an impact regardless of if you’re winning or losing.”
As Ault finishes her Liberty career, her resume is littered with a lot of wins. The greatest part of her legacy, however, will be the imprint she’s left on the foundation of the Lions softball program.
“We had a lot of young players that have learned so much just from seeing how she approaches the game and how she goes about being not just a great player, but a leader.” Szocik said. “She’ll be gone, but her presence will be felt here for years to come.”
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