The test of a true champion is when you can turn an extremely tough situation into a positive.
That’s just what Easley High School senior Abby Wade did last Wednesday night. It was three years ago – to the day – that her dad (Christopher) had passed away early from a heart attack.
Yet, close to 400 fans piled into Green Wave Country for Softball Rec Night for this special game.
Abby responded with a 1-hitter on the mound in a 16-0 victory over rival Pickens. She threw all five innings (just 53 pitches), struck out 9 batters and did not allow any walks.
“It was a great night,” Abby said. “It meant the absolute world to me. It was a game very, very close to my heart. I can’t thank these girls enough, especially tonight.”
Continued the 17-year-old Wade, “My dad is somebody who I looked up to every single day. He was indescribable. He was there for every game. I can’t tell you a game that he missed – so, so impactful. His goal was to help the next generation. He always told me to plant a seed. Even if you don’t see it grow, so it can grow later on.”
The 5-foot-4 Wade soaked in the victory over Pickens with her teammates. It was like she didn’t want the game to end. She just stuck after throwing the final pitch of the game and celebrated with her teammates.
But after the heartfelt victory, there was one question that lingered on.
What was Wade going to do with the game ball?
“I’m going to go home and mark it up with the date and exactly what happened tonight with the win,” she said. “I will put it on my trophy shelf. I’ll put it with the game ball of when when my dad coached me last in rec ball.”
Wade is going to graduate from EHS in just three years (instead of four) with a 3.8 grade point average and a 4.8 weighted GPA. She is planning to attend Charleston Southern University, major in biology and become a heart surgeon. “I just planted a seed and it went from there,” she said.
Wade said one teammate she really looks up to is Camora Little. They even played rec ball together on the same team when her dad (Christopher Wade) coached them.
“She (Little) has carried me through my ups and downs,” Wade said. “She has gone through so much in her own life, too. She steps onto the field and leaves it all behind her. Despite everything going on in her life, she pushes me to be the best person I can be on and off the field.”
Little, meanwhile, took some time to talk about her teammate Wade.
“Abby is definitely the strongest person that I know,” said Little. “She’s gone through so much and she is so young. I’m just so proud of everything that she’s accomplished. She is just a resilient person. I’m so glad to be beside her for my last year at Easley. I just know that she is going to do amazing things next year and she cheers me on every single day.”
Wade has been the winning pitcher in all five of the wins this season for Easley.
Looking back on the effort of Abby, EHS coach Becca Stanton said, “This is the game that we honor her dad and that is always a tough game, but she takes it like a champ. The biggest thing about Abby is that she wears her heart on her sleeve. She is a team player and she is going to play no matter what is going on around her. She’s been pitching lights out all season and tonight was no exception. She dug down deep even in the moment that tonight meant. I’m super proud of her and the effort that she gave tonight.”
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