Adrianna Green was more than a strikeout machine.
The Gloucester Catholic 2023 graduate had a flamethrower for a right arm, striking out more than 500 opposing batters during her three-year high school softball career. Her strength – both physical and mental – was the example set for future hurlers.
“As far as strikeouts per inning, she’s one of the best to ever pitch in South Jersey, but definitely at Gloucester Catholic,” Rams coach Mark Hutchinson said. “We’ll be talking about her for years. She’s been our engine.”
Green was handed the ball during her sophomore year, following a canceled season due to the pandemic. And although pitching seemed to come easily to Green in high school, she had to wait her time on a few occasions during travel ball with the NJ Mystics. It made her stronger as a person, and it’s a lesson she passed on to the younger players on the Rams’ roster.
“I had someone in front of me in travel, and you tend to get down on yourself thinking you’re not good enough,” said Green, who will study forensics and play softball at Central Connecticut State University next year. Having that experience, she did her best to ensure the Rams’ players wouldn’t think that way. “I wanted to build up their confidence.”
Green was one of two seniors on Gloucester Catholic’s softball team this year and the only one in the starting lineup. She was the main cog in a pitching staff that included juniors Emily McGinn and Brooklyn Carcaci, who received some valuable innings of experience this year and will lead the charge next spring. They learned quite a bit from Green.
“She’s probably the strongest person I know,” said McGinn. “She’s a really great kid, and I want to be just like her.”
The Rams racked up 14 wins this season and made a second straight appearance in the South Jersey Non-Public B championship, where Gloucester Catholic once again met powerful Saint Joseph Academy in Hammonton. The Rams fell short in a 9-2 game on June 2, but had plenty of great memories on the way.
“Going back to back to the finals, even though it didn’t end the way we wanted, was pretty great,” Green said. “Being there with those girls, overcoming everything, and being able to take them back there again was a great feeling.”
Unfortunately for Green, she wasn’t able to finish her final game in the circle as she was called for an illegal pitch called “leaping,” which is defined as when the pitcher becomes airborne on the initial push off and both feet are simultaneously off the ground during the delivery. High school rules mandate that the pitcher’s pivot foot must remain in contact with the rubber or must drag on the ground away from the rubber on the delivery motion.
Leaping is not considered illegal in college or on most travel circuits.
“I was told next year, they might even change the rules,” Green said. “I just hate that my senior season had to end that way.”
Green stayed in the game at third base and never veered from her positive attitude, which gathered respect from her teammates. She set examples until the final out in her final game.
“She taught me to never let anything phase me and to just believe in myself,” McGinn said.
Green ended her high school career with 569 strikeouts and contributed 86 career hits at the plate and batted .406 over her three years.
“It’s going to be hard to follow in Adrianna’s footsteps,” McGinn said. “I definitely have big shoes to fill, and I’m going to do my best.”
The Rams will return a small but powerful team next season, with a great mix of seniors and up-and-coming underclassmen stars. McGinn and Carcaci will likely be throwing the pitches.
And for Green, there were no regrets.
“I’m very happy,” Green said. “I met a great group of girls, and I’m happy I was able to be there and leave my mark and make a name for myself.”
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