Winthrop pitcher Katie Wing follows in her sister’s footsteps.
By Kevin Mills
Staff Writer

WINTHROP – Katie Wing could see her future.

As she watched her older sister Jaime pitch for the Winthrop softball team, Katie knew what she wanted.

“I kind of looked up to her,” said Wing. “I’m competitive in that I wanted to be better than her. So that’s where it all came from I think. I just wanted to take her place when I got into high school. So it was a big push for me.”

Wing is now a senior, pitching for one of the Ramblers most promising teams ever and has been a significant part of the team’s rise to prominence.

She was an all-conference all-star last year as Winthrop went 14-0 and earned the top seed in its division. Last year’s success came after the team managed just two wins two seasons before.

“I tried to be like her, but I didn’t think I’d be anything special,” said Wing, whose sister pitched for Winthrop in the late 1990s. “I’ve just been trying my best.”

Success didn’t come quickly or easily for Wing as she tried to follow in her sister’s cleats.

“She was a good pitcher,” said Wing. “I’d try to mimic her a little bit. I’d pitch in grade school and look at my sister. I’d try to windmill and, of course, it would go all over the place.”

The seed was planted though. She took some lessons in junior high and has been the king of the hill for the Ramblers the last few seasons.

“She’s had a nice two years,” said Winthrop coach Tom Hill, who shares coaching duties with Charlie Lincoln. “The thing about Katie is she’s a control pitcher. She’s not going to walk a lot of batters. It’s still early in the season but control is hopefully, going to be there. She’s a veteran.

“She knows how to prepare herself for the season. So we see her as strong as she was last year.”

The Ramblers have high hopes for the season. Along with Wing, all-stars catcher Mel Burnham and shortstop Martha Salois return. Heather Babb, Hannah Salois, Renee St. Hilaire and Nicole Emery are all returning starters.

“Last year was a surprise,” said Hill. “I don’t think anyone expected us to be that competitive yet. If it was me, I would have guessed that it would have been this year. We didn’t lose a game in our league last year, but if we went .500 this year, it would be a pretty good deal because everybody’s got their pitcher back. They’re veteran pitchers. The league’s strong top-to-bottom.”

That certainly will create a different atmosphere for the Ramblers. Winthrop got off to a great start last season and cruised through the regular season.

“I think there’s a little more pressure, definitely, since we won the MVCs,” said Wing. “Now we’re the team everyone wants to beat. It’s going to be a little tougher. People are going to come at us whereas last year, they didn’t really expect much from us. So it was a surprise.”

With a variety of solid teams and a wealth of top-notch pitchers, Wing will have her work cut out for her, and that may not be such a bad thing for her. The Ramblers hope that brings out the best in her.

“She’s kind of a laid back kid,” said Hill. “She’s got to be more competitive. If we told her, ‘Katie, you’re going to play leftfield and you’re not going to pitch again.’ That would be great with her. I think she’d rather do that. But, she’s the best pitcher we’ve got, and she’s going to walk out there and get the ball every game. We want her to realize that she’s one of the best pitchers in the league and walk out there with that attitude.”

Wing plans on attending the University of Maine next year to study wildlife ecology. She may just give the softball team a try.

“If I go as a walk-on, maybe I could get a scholarship or something,” said Wing. “I wouldn’t mind trying. I’d like to play in college, but I don’t think I’m good enough for that.”

Between now and then, she’ll tinker with her pitchers and see where this season takes her.

“I definitely want to get a handle on my change-up,” said Wing. “That would really benefit me. I want to be more consistent. I haven’t seen that right now. I’d like to get a little better with that.”

She’s not competing with her sister anymore, but she’ll get the chance to toss the ball around with her.

“I’ll try to pitch with her, but she says I’m too fast for her, but she pitches twice as fast as me when she winds them back at me,” said Wing.

Copy the Story Link