Kaitlin McFarland’s greatest growth came last season when no spectators were watching.
The bullpen sessions with the Liberty softball pitching staff allowed the catcher to learn the pitchers’ tendencies, strengths, habits and mannerisms. McFarland not only developed a rapport with the pitchers behind the plate, but she earned their trust as a friend.
That bond has only grown this season with McFarland becoming the Flames’ full-time catcher, a move that has benefited the pitching staff and allowed Liberty to ride a 14-game winning streak heading into postseason play.
The Flames (44-12) are the top seed for the Big South Conference tournament and face fifth-seeded Gardner-Webb (29-27) at noon Thursday at Radford Softball Stadium.
“It’s such a blessing to be able to catch them every single day,” McFarland said. “I’m just glad that what I do behind the plate works for them because that’s my job — just to make them feel good, look good. That’s what I thrive off of, watching them do so well.”
The Sour Lake, Texas, native has been consistent for the Flames behind the plate, and that consistency has translated into success for the pitching staff.
The Flames rank 27th in the nation in team ERA (2.11, and three pitchers (Julia DiMartino, Elizabeth Engler and Chase Cassady) rank in the top 150 nationally in ERA.
DiMartino recently was named the Big South pitcher of the year for the second straight season after she posted nine shutouts, 25 victories and six saves.
Cassady is 10-2 this season and has won five of her past six starts to continue her development from the end of last season, while Engler has posted a 5-2 record in her last nine appearances.
“I really changed our philosophy as pitchers, and [Kaitlin’s] been a huge part of that. Catching is a huge part of them really attacking the zone and feeling comfortable,” pitching coach Paige Cassady said. “I truly believe that Kaitlin McFarland gets more strike calls than any other catcher on staff. I know without a doubt watching her. She’s small, she doesn’t move the ball. Now she puts pressure on the pitchers to do that, to hit spots, but she’s been huge, and she’s our hype man.”
McFarland, who has caught 14 of Liberty’s 18 shutouts this season, sporadically played catcher while pitching on her travel ball team. She transitioned full time to catcher at Hardin-Jefferson High School and played there during her high school career.
The 5-foot-10 McFarland saw limited playing time as a freshman and was the primary backup catcher to Autumn Bishop last season. Bishop suffered a concussion during the season, and McFarland was inserted into the lineup and she remained there as the pitching staff showed improvement during the Flames’ run to the National Invitational Softball Championship title.
“Last year was really a year for me to grow with the pitchers and get that sort of connection that you don’t really get on a lot of teams and a lot of pitchers may not have with catchers,” McFarland said. “I was able to develop that over the last season and I think that’s why last postseason we did so well because we were so close and I had that connection with them. They see it, the coaches see it, and I think it’s only built on top of our game. I think it’s part of the mental game that a lot of teams may not have that we have that dynamic.”
Engler said McFarland is able to give the pitchers confidence, even when they are struggling in the circle. Chase Cassady added McFarland’s abilities behind the plate “take a lot of weight off our shoulders.”
“Her understanding of the way pitches work and why they move really enables her to get the most out of the kid who is on the mound,” Paige Cassady said of McFarland.
McFarland, who entered this season as a career .185 hitter, has found success at the plate thanks to her increased playing time. She is hitting .268 with 15 extra-base hits (three home runs) and has driven in 22 runs out of the No. 5 spot in the lineup.
Her success at the plate has been possible with her ability to channel two different ranges of emotion. She said she needs to be more emotional behind the plate (“I do better when I’m at a nine.”) compared to when she’s standing in the batter’s box, as that number drops to three and she is more relaxed and composed.
“It’s kind of weird the dynamic I have to have in my own mind to be able to perform,” she said, “but it’s definitely put me at ease, and I’ve been able to work on things specifically for me, but to be able to produce for everybody else, I think, has been a lot better.”