CGHS Softball Standout Abby Herbst Talks 2018 Goals

Writer / Seth Johnson

Photographer / Mark Bell & Libby Belden

Center Grove High School softball standout Abby Herbst has a chip on her shoulder at all times, whether she’s on the field or in the classroom.

A FloSoftball Top 40 national recruit, Herbst has been nearly unstoppable from the mound during her first two seasons with Center Grove High School, posting a 29-2 pitching record overall. When she’s at the plate Herbst is also a force to be reckoned with. During her freshman year, the budding star had a batting average over .500, improving on that to an average over .600 her sophomore year. With so much promise ahead of her, she has already committed to attend the University of Wisconsin after she graduates.

“I visited there January of my freshman year,” Herbst says about her decision to go with the University of Wisconsin. “I stepped on campus, and it was like I was home. The Big Ten is a great conference too. It was the perfect match for me.”

Many, many years of softball led Herbst to reach this point. Having lived in Center Grove almost all of her life, she originally started out playing pee-wee softball at the Center Grove Lassie League.

“I’ve pretty much been playing softball as long as I can remember,” she says. “Since my older sister played, I was introduced to the game at a really young age.”

Herbst is also thankful to have parents who have believed in her softball talent for all of these years.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I am right now if they hadn’t invested all the time and the money that they did into me,” Herbst says. “I wouldn’t be anywhere without them. Although I’ve had coaches that have been helpful, it’s really just been those two that have been there for me the entire time.”

When she’s in the classroom, Herbst also makes sure she’s taking care of business. In addition to serving on student council, she is also an honors student and has a cumulative GPA over 4.0.

“I’ve always pushed myself in the classroom and on the field,” she says. With interest in both business and political science, she would like to pursue a job as a lawyer in the future.

“I’m always trying to prove somebody wrong or prove myself right, so my dad has always said, ‘You’d make a great lawyer,’” Herbst says. “I’ve researched it, and it does seem like something that I would really be good at.”

As for her softball future at Center Grove High School, Herbst hopes to win a state championship after falling short the past two years.

“Last year, we got eliminated in semi-state,” she says. “So, what I’d really like to do is win semi-state, get to state and then get a state championship because I really want a blue ring. That would be so cool.”

Personally, she has some things she’d like to accomplish, too.

“I really want to hit more home runs,” she says. “I’ve had a low number of home runs for the past couple years, so my goal this year is 10 or 15 home runs. And then, pitching-wise, I really want to be the most winningest pitcher in the school’s history. Since I only have two losses, I think that’s pretty close in reach. Those are my main goals for myself, at least for the next two seasons.”

Center Grove High School’s softball season will kick off March 27 against Whiteland.

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