Central’s Parrott commits to TTU
Central High School pitcher Brooke Parrott has accepted a scholarship offer as a junior to continue her softball career at Tennessee Tech University in the 2017-18 school year. Parrott, who pitched the Lady Purple Pounders to a state sectional as a freshman and to third place in the Class AA state tournament last spring, also has been recruited by East Tennessee State, Lee University and Carson-Newman and “talked to MTSU for a while.” Although she has two high school seasons left and other colleges may have joined the crowd, recruiters are filling their allotments sooner now, so Parrott chose not to gamble with a “good offer” in hand from a good place. “The campus is super nice, and the coaches are really awesome. And they have a good softball team. Of course I want to be part of a good team,” she said Saturday. “Their education program is really good, and that’s what I want to major in, plus it’s close to home.” She also plays volleyball and gets “mostly A’s” in school, she acknowledged when asked. Her Central coach, LeeAnne Shurette, is a former Tech standout and is happy to see her ace headed to her alma mater. “She’s great competitor and a great all-around kid. She gets it done in the classroom and on the field, and she puts in those extra hours of practice that pitchers have to put in,” Shurette said. “She has a really good riseball and a screwball. She has good ‘pop.’ She throws with good speed and has good spin that gives her pitches tight movement. Her riseball really jumps; everything breaks really hard.” Parrott has played the last six years for the Tennessee Fury summer team coached by her dad, former Central football standout Jody Parrott. “She averages around 25 to 30 wins each summer, usually with around 250 strikeouts,” he said. “She pitched us to a top10 finish at the ASA nationals in San Diego two years ago and a couple of other top-20 finishes over the past few years.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Palm Beach Atlantic pulled out a 68-66 men’s basketball victory against Lee University in the second day of the Valdosta State Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, although Lee’s Flames (2-3) had the two top scorers. Point guard C.J. Reese scored 21 points, including a layup with six seconds left to cut the margin to two, and Jervon Johnson added 15 with 4-for-8 3-point shooting. Keevin Tyus had a game-high nine rebounds in defeat. Bakari Warthen scored 13 points and Derick Yepes had 21 points, eight rebounds and five steals for the Sailfish (3-3).