Difference Maker: Senior Leader Cook Excelling for Falcons

Written by Duane Cochran

Pretty much every girl loves a diamond. Fairmont State University senior Beth Cook is no different.

However, the diamond Cook is especially fond of can't be worn on her hand or in her ears. Instead, it's found in the middle of every softball field and it's a place where Cook feels right at home and has for a very long time.

"I literally grew up at the ball field," Cook said. "Shortly after I was born my mom and aunt were playing slow-pitch softball. My uncles also played it so I was always at the ball field watching softball. It was just a part of my life.

"I started my career playing tee ball and then one year of baseball before I switched to softball. My mom (Julie) coached me and taught me the game and it's from her where I developed my love and passion for the sport. She's always pushed me to do my absolute best and not to settle for just being average both in athletics and life. She also taught me that even when you do have success there's always room for improvement. I've never forgotten that.

"I'm 22 now and I've come to really appreciate the values that she instilled in me. When you're younger you tend to think your parents are just nagging you. When you get older you realize they're just pushing you to be your best and I'm thankful my mom always did that for me."

The life lessons learned from her mother have always driven and motivated Cook and throughout her career they have served her well.

This past week in FSU's doubleheader split with Mountain East Conference powerhouse West Virginia Wesleyan and twinbill sweeps of Urbana University and Notre Dame College Cook, the Falcons' standout first baseman, combined to go 10-of-20 at the plate (.500) with 10 RBI and eight runs scored. She had four multi-hit games in the six contests and earned MEC Player of the Week honors for her efforts.

She's the first Falcon to claim Player of the Week honors in the league since Courtney Iacobacci did it back on April 25, 2016.

"It's a nice honor, but my main focus is to try to help our team do as well as it can and compete for a conference title," Cook said. "We didn't do very well last year, but this year our focus is a lot better. Last year was a rebuilding year for us and we knew that. We had a new coach and we were focused on learning to play how coach (John) Light wanted us to play.

"This season we know what's expected of us, we've conveyed that to the freshmen coming in and we're trying to build off of each game and get better."

FSU finished 19-31 overall last season and 12-20 in the MEC. This spring the Falcons are 11-11 overall and 7-1 and currently in first place in the MEC North Division standings.

Cook has played a big role in the team's turnaround. Last season she led the Falcons in batting (.341), hits (42) and RBI (26) and was named second-team All-MEC. This spring she leads FSU in batting (.441) and is tied for the team lead in RBI with 18 and home runs with three. She also second in runs scored with 18.

Cook is currently third in the MEC in batting, tied for second in the league in RBI with teammate Courtney Worcester and tied for fourth in the conference in runs scored.

"Beth was here when I got here," said second-year FSU head coach John Light. "She played two seasons at Potomac State and she put up unbelievable numbers there. Even though it's not the same level of competition that we face here in the MEC and on the D-II level, I knew right away when I saw her that she was a great hitter. She's got the potential to be an All-American-type of hitter.

"Last year people pitched away from her and this year they're trying to, but she makes it difficult for them to do that. She's got a good eye and she worked hard in the off season to become an even better hitter. She's in the four spot for us for a reason. She's a very smart player both with the bat in her hands and on the field. She's honestly like a coach for us out there. She calls most of the defenses for us. I don't have to relay them and most of the time she's spot on."

Cook began playing travel softball at the age of 14 and always played up a level against older players. It was that experience which helped her really develop her competitive nature.

"Playing with and against older players really helped me grow to love this sport," she said. "I was always the youngest person and I always felt like I had to prove myself. That's when I really started to be very competitive and it's also when I realized I needed to be a so-called student of the game. I tried to study opposing hitters and learn their tendencies and offensively I always tried to analyze the situation and determine what would be best for the team for me to do in that situation with the bat."

Cook was a three-time, first-team Class A All-State selection at Moorefield High School and helped lead the Yellow Jackets to three consecutive state title game appearances where they lost all three years to Buffalo High School. Following high school she had options for college, including Fairmont State, but elected to stay closer to home and play junior college ball at Potomac State.

"I had some family issues going on at the time when I graduated high school and with Potomac State being like only 30 miles away from home I elected to stay closer to home by going there," Cook said. "I had a good experience there. We won our division and went to NJCA Nationals two years.

"When my career there was done I had remembered one of my coaches my junior year in high school, Morgan (Hill) See, telling me about playing at Fairmont and how much she loved the program and the school. I also talked to Whitley (Mongan) and Sam (Hoban), who played last year and played with me at Potomac State and they both had good things to say about the program and school.

"Also, in the future I knew I wanted to do something with sports or athletic training and that the exercise science major here would be a good option for me. All of that narrowed it down for me and Fairmont was the best choice.

"When my playing career is done I still will have one more year of school and then I'll figure out if I want to do athletic training or strength training. Right now those are the two things I'm leaning toward, but I have options."

Coming off both her and the team's most successful week of the season Cook, who was selected by her peers as one of the team's captains this year, is determined to keep pushing to both better herself and her team with a month of games remaining.

"It's much more than just a week," she said. "It's about our team's success and then my personal success. I believe we can do some good things this season. Last year was probably the worst year I've ever experienced in terms of softball because we didn't have a lot of success. With this being my last season I want more. I expect more of this team and I expect more of myself. We have some momentum now and every game we're trying to build off of that and get better."

Fairmont, which is currently on a four-game winning streak, is scheduled to return to the diamond Friday, March 30 when it visits Wheeling Jesuit, which is currently tied for second in the MEC's Northern Division, for an afternoon doubleheader at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.