Brooke Parrott central figure in Lady Purple Pounders' state quest

It's a good thing for the Central High School softball program that Brooke Parrott is - or at least was - fond of tanktops.

Baseball's loss is the Lady Purple Pounders' gain. It's also a gain for Tennessee Tech University, where the right-handed pitcher has signed to play.

But first she and her Central teammates have at least two high school games remaining as they begin state-tournament play today against Creek Wood at McKnight No. 1 in Murfreesboro at 5 p.m. EDT. Four other Chattanooga-area teams also play tournament openers today. Baylor plays its Division II-AA opener Wednesday at 11 a.m. EDT.

Brooke Parrott has a 26-8 pitching record with 22 shutouts this season and is a key reason Central's softball team has advanced to the TSSAA Class AA state tournament, which begins today.

Central's Brooke Parrott pitches during their prep softball game against Baylor at Baylor School on Thursday, April 27, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Parrott was 4 and the only girl on the team when she began playing recreation coach-pitch baseball at Snow Hill. But once she saw what the girls playing 6-under softball got to wear, everything changed.

"The only reason I switched is because I wanted to wear a tanktop," Parrott said.

Using an arsenal that includes a fastball and a variety of offspeed and breaking pitches, to go with a drop and her go-to pitch, the riseball, the right-hander has had the kind of senior season many could only dream about. If - or more likely when - she gets her eighth strikeout this week, it will be her 400th of the season. She's allowed 24 walks.

"She's always been really accurate," said Central coach LeeAnne Shurette, who was also Parrott's first pitching coach when Parrott was 8. "Her changeup has been good, but we really haven't used it a lot. If you're shoving it past people, you don't really need to."

Parrott took lessons this past offseason from former college coach Beth Keylon-Randolph, who like Shurette was also a standout pitcher and hitter at TTU.

"We really worked hard on making my spins faster, and really did a lot of work on making my pitches move at the very last second," Parrott said. "She conditioned me, too. I think that really helped."

Parrott (26-8) has logged 195 innings and allowed 74 hits. She has nine no-hitters and five one-hitters.

Central (28-9) and Parrott (0.65 ERA) split two games this season with Class AAA state-tournament team Ooltewah. Her pitching victory over the Lady Owls, who hit her better than most opponents, was one of her 22 shutouts.

"I think she's as good as there is in our area - single-A, double-A or triple-A, it doesn't matter," Ooltewah coach Jon Massey said. "When she's got her riseball working, which it almost always is, she's about unhittable. She's not just a pitcher, either. She swings the bat well. Tennessee Tech is getting a good one. She's top notch."

Shurette's father, Jerry Mongar, calls pitches for the Lady Pounders. Kerri Sylvester is their first-year catcher, and another with whom Parrott shares her success.

Now there's only one success that remains to be shared, and that's with the entire Central family.

"I think we can win state," Parrott said. "The most important thing is we all love each other. We hang out outside of school. The coaches have Bible studies that have brought us closer together, too. These girls have worked so hard. They want to win. They care. I care. We all want to win."

Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.

With a reputation for having a wicked riseball, senior Brooke Parrott has totaled 392 strikeouts this season in 195 innings pitched for Central, which begins play today vs. Creek Wood in the TSSAA Class AA state softball tournament in Murfreesboro.