Post-Tribune’s Player of the Year
Missouri-St. Louis recruit excelled as a pitcher, DH, leader
Missouri-St. Louis recruit Towle set tone for revamped Lake Central.
Lake Central’s Jenna Towle worked as diligently as she could.
The senior pitcher/designated player didn’t want to look back and have any regrets about her final high school season.
She achieved that end — and then some.
“I wanted to make the most of it, and I think I had my best season so far,” Towle said. “I was just trying to have as much fun as I could. It made it even more fun that we did so well.”
Towle, the 2019 PostTribune Softball Player of the Year, went 8-1 with a 0.72 ERA. She had 77 strikeouts and just four walks in 58 2/3 innings. She also hit .463 with two home runs and 26 RBIs.
The Missouri-St. Louis recruit was a leader for the revamped Indians (26-4), setting the tone during a season in which they won the Duneland Athletic Conference title before losing in a sectional final to Crown Point.
She also was an integral part of last season’s team that reached the Class 4A state championship game.
“We didn’t make it as far as we wanted to go,” Towle said. “We would’ve loved to get back to Purdue in June. But this game is a game of failure. However, I wouldn’t change anything we did for the outcomes.
“These girls I played with are going to be some of my best friends for a long time. I wouldn’t trade those bonds for anything.”
Coach Jeff Sherman was glad Towle has been on Lake Central’s side.
“She was dynamite in everything she did this year,” Sherman said of Towle. “Her ability to stay mentally involved whether she was pitching or not really stood out. Obviously, she was in the lineup all the time. She was one of the best two-way players I saw all season.
“She just did whatever we needed her to do on a daily basis.”
That role included filling a void created by the graduation of seven senior starters from last year’s team. She helped foster an inclusive environment.
“She’s a great softball player, outstanding softball player,” Sherman said of Towle. “But what we really got to see this year was the leadership aspect of her game. Not to say I didn’t know she had it in her, but I really wasn’t sure how much we were going to see.
“I knew she had the ability to lead. But the way she did it really was a nice thing to see.”
Towle also produced, earning a spot as one of five finalists for Miss Softball in Indiana. She was a first team all-state selection, made the North All-Star team and was named the conference MVP.
“It was completely unexpected,” Towle said when asked about being a candidate for Miss Softball. “I had no clue my performance would lead to that, and I can’t even put into words how excited I was when I found out.
“All my hard work for four years and really since I started playing softball really paid off.”
On and off the field, Lake Central will miss Towle, who plans to study elementary education.
“Jenna’s like a daughter,” Sherman said. “We’re able to talk about the most random things, just normal conversations. Developing that relationship and getting to know her the past few years has been really cool. I cherish it.”