HOSCHTON — The arm rotates twice. The neon red ball falls into the glove.
This routine is performed at the beginning of each inning to loosen up the arm. That’s all junior ace pitcher Caroline Stanton needs before she’s ready to mow down the opposing lineup.
“It starts with my warm-up and I approach it like I’m in a game,” Stanton said Thursday after throwing a one-hit shutout in six innings, of her routine that extends to the quick reset in the middle of the inning.
Buford improved its record to 5-0 on the young season with an 8-0 run-rule victory over regional rival Mill Creek, a renowned program in its own right. Fourth-year head coach Trent Adams called the win “huge.”
Still, Buford is continuing to roll with 44 straight wins. A big reason for the Wolves’ resurgence is Stanton’s play. In addition to her pitching, she has hit three home runs this season, including a two-home, seven-RBI game in a 19-run outburst at Walnut Grove.
“It’s important to give these girls a little confidence,” Adams said. “I feel like it’s growing with each game. We’re not going to win or lose it now in August or September. We want to peak at the right time.”
Let’s meet Stanton. After all, she’s well-known and doesn’t need much of an introduction. Stanton was a star during her two-plus seasons at Buford, has over a season left to play, and has numerous scholarship offers from Power Four programs on the table.
Stanton comes from a family of athletes. Her mother, Jessica Stanton, played basketball at Rollins College. Her father, Rob Stanton, was a successful baseball and football player at Clemson University. Her brother, Jack Stanton, continues to pursue his athletic dreams with Caroline and plays football at Houston Christian University.
“The fact that my family is athletic made me want to do something. I played several sports growing up,” Stanton said before the season began. “From the second I stepped on the field, I knew softball was what I wanted to play.”
Stanton played almost every position as she matured on the field. She played a bit of center field and then took on a role behind the plate. Stanton admitted that catcher wasn’t her thing. Stanton started out as a pitcher for a bit, but didn’t reach her level until eighth grade in middle school.
For the young pitcher, something clicked immediately.
Her travel coach allowed her to play in an under-18 tournament in California despite her young age. Suddenly, she was honing her craft and finding love in the circle. Stanton works with pitching coaches Laura Rothrock and Adrienne Cherry in Buford — though those two work outside of the program — to continue working on smaller details of pitching.
“It’s incredible to watch Caroline pitch,” said Tavye Borders, a former Buford softball player. “Her demeanor is like no other. Her pitching is consistent, powerful and game-winning.”
Stanton finished her sophomore season with a 14-0 record, a 0.77 earned run average (ERA), and an average of 12.63 strikeouts per game to start the season. Her third season began by allowing two runs in the first inning at River Ridge, perhaps due to a tight zone.
Since then, Stanton has been a picture of pure dominance. She struck out 21 batters in a row after the first inning in the opener. She allowed just one hit in back-to-back scoreless games against Cambridge and Mill Creek. It should come as no surprise that Stanton pitched a perfect game and hit a home run in the same game as a sophomore.
Buford has a strong player almost every season. With Stanton and Addie Rackley, Buford has two of them. You can also “swing it,” to use Adams’ famous words.
Stanton, however, takes the Wolves to a new level. She joins a select group of hurlers who have helped Adams in his 19 years with the program – his fourth as head coach.
If Stanton isn’t already known, it won’t take long to spot her. All you have to do is look for the impact of the glove.
“We’ve had some that have come through and been special,” Adams said. “Caroline is special, that’s for sure.”
FEATURED PHOTO: Courtesy of Marianne Cagle, mother of senior infielder Carolyn Cagle
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