Feet squared, dirt kicked, sun beaming, Grace Lawton doesn’t fold under the pressure of the opposing pitcher’s stare; she fixes her hand positioning and hits dingers.
Lawton is a senior at Central Connecticut State University and is one of the veterans on the school’s softball team. She has earned accolades such as the NEC All-Rookie Team, NEC Academic All-District selection and, most recently, the NEC All-Tournament Team.
But her journey to get here was far from simple.
In high school, Lawton said the tournament circuit was where performance mattered most for college recognition.
“It’s pretty influenced by tournament teams; high school softball isn’t really a part of recruiting because college coaches just look at tournament teams in the summer,” she said. “I played for this Rhode Island Thunder team, and I’m from New Hampshire, so I had to drive an hour and a half to practice. The team that I got recruited from was during my junior year in high school, and I was on a national team, so we played in California, Georgia and all around New England.”
Batting 100 home runs in the three seasons she played with the Rhode Island Thunder, Lawton proved herself to the coaching staff at CCSU, but it wasn’t an easy path.
“For those few years you’re trying to get recruited, you’re kind of living out of a suitcase in the summer because you’re constantly traveling,” Lawton said. “You’re young, so it’s fun, but it’s definitely a lot.”
However, when it came time to show her skills to the current assistant coach of the softball team, Pat Holden, she said he thought she and a teammate were a good fit.
“You email coaches, see how it goes, and they’ll come watch you play. Pat just happened to see me and my friend play; we actually got recruited at the same time. We emailed him back, and he invited us on campus, and we got the offers.”
Signing day for Lawton was a major accomplishment in her athletic career, marking the reward for years of effort.
The transition from playing with organizations like her high school or the Rhode Island Thunder to playing at CCSU wasn’t difficult. Lawton attributes her success not only to her teammates and her own work, but also to the tips and advice from Holden that she said have elevated her game.
“A big part of his hitting style is hitting home runs, and I did that in tournament ball, and he liked that, so he recruited me,” she said. “That’s a big part of all our practice. We’re not trying to get hits; we’re trying to hit home runs. That way, even if you miss a little bit, it’s still a hit instead of a little bloop.”
Even though Lawton is a power hitter, she said the work she did with Holden was still beneficial.
“He definitely helped my swing a lot, because I used to kind of cock my hands back, and then my eye level would kind of drift,” she said. “But he showed me videos of MLB hitters, and they don’t move their hands at all when they go to swing, and that helps your eye level stay normal, and it has definitely helped my swing a lot. I think my hitting’s definitely improved since being here. His motto is ‘hit home runs,’ and he has a sweatshirt that says ‘#barrels.’”
With CCSU’s softball team, Lawton said the bond they have created has helped facilitate a winning culture.
“The coaches are really big on making us teammates and picking each other up,” she said. “I’ve played with this girl Skylar — she’s my second baseman — we’ve played with each other since freshman year, and we have that huge trust between us. If any of us makes an error, we’re all there for each other. We’re not really stressed about it; we’re just focused on the next play. It’s like a clean slate.”
The work she does in the field reflects the work she does in the classroom, as being named to the NEC Academic All-District Team is one of her proudest accomplishments.
“I know it’s cliché, but it’s all about time management. I only have softball maybe three hours a day when I’m just practicing, so as long as you’re using that time in-between class, and I’m home by four or five, so I get home, I shower and I’m doing homework by six,” she said.
She has positioned herself so her post-graduation plans do not hinge solely on the success of her softball career. She plans to go into the medical field, and her studies are an integral part of her lifestyle.
Lawton attributes the growing recognition of collegiate softball to the NCAA Tournament and sees a bright future for younger players. She recalls when she was younger and the feelings she got from the game.
“I played baseball when I was younger, and my nickname was G-Money,” she said. “I was always a hitter on the team, so it’s kind of stuck. I grew up with that nickname; my mom calls me that all the time.”
She said she has a positive outlook for the rest of the season and reflects on the work needed to reach her position.
“I’m pretty excited for this year because I think we’re going to do pretty well. I feel like the grind of it all for four years inevitably makes you a better player,” Lawton said. “Our team’s meshing well right now, and we did really well last year. I think we still have that strong base, and we have a lot of really good freshmen coming in. I think it’s going to be a good year.”
“Shout out, Coach Gross. He’s been phenomenal. He pushes us a lot, and he knows his shit.”
