In her first year as starting pitcher on the Washington varsity softball team junior Rebekah Langston took the Coastal Conference by storm as she guided the Pam Pack to the second round of the playoffs by compiling a 15-6 record and a 1.45 ERA.
Langston’s effort was recently rewarded as the lefty was named the NCFastpitch.org District 1 3A Pitcher of the Year, an honor that thrilled the rising senior.
“It’s exciting to get some recognition. To be named 3A pitcher of the year for  District 1) is an honor, really,” Langston said.
Aside from going 15-6 with a 1.45 ERA, Langston also added two saves and struck out 125 batters in 145 innings. Pam Pack coach Doug Whitehead said the honor is a great one for his ace and the school.
“Anytime Washington High School gets mentioned for an honor like that it’s good for our program and maybe it will make some girls work a little harder each and every year,” Whitehead said. “We’re having more and more colleges look at our players so any time you can get your name mentioned like that it’s a big plus for the program.”
This year Langston was a big plus for the Pam Pack as the junior had a fantastic season highlighted by a six-inning no-hitter to beat Jacksonville 10-0. Langston was also on point during the playoffs as she quieted the Southern Nash lineup to help the Pam Pack advance to the second round with a 12-1 victory.
While those games were spectacular, Whitehead said he was more impressed during a two-game stretch in the middle of the season where Langston earned consecutive wins over stellar conference foes.
“Her best moments were probably when we played D.H. Conley and South Central in back-to-back ball games and she was really on her game,” Whitehead said. “She basically shut down two very good ball clubs.”
Aside from having a quality fastball and curveball, Langston’s lefty delivery, and the action she can put on the ball, makes it tough for any opposing hitter.
“My style is kind of unique because I’m a left-handed pitcher and you don’t really get to see that too often,” Langston said. “Also, I’m pretty unique with the movement I have on my pitches. A lot of girls are more worried about the speed of their ball and how fast it goes but I like to more focus on the movement of the ball because that’s really going to strike the batter.”
Langston wasn’t the only local player to be honored by NCFastpitch.org, as teammates Morgan Bryant, Justyce McKissick and Haley Hutchins were named to the 3A All-District I team, while Northside’s Brittany Alligood and Southside’s Savannah Mumford were named to the 1A All-District 1 team. Mumford was also named the District 1 1A Pitcher of the Year.
Bryant, the WDN Position Player of the Year, batted .379 with 18 RBIs in the leadoff spot for the Pack, while McKissick, last season’s WDN Position Player of the Year, hit a team-high .409 and drove in a team-best 26 RBIs. Hutchins, a freshman, was spectacular in her rookie season as she batted .392 with six doubles.
“Justyce, Haley and Morgan were the top three hitters on the team this year and they had very, very productive years,” Whitehead said. “They led us in most categories and I’m very, very proud of them.”