Woodlawn’s McWhorter Commits to Arkansas

WOODLAWN - Lillie Faye McWhorter, a junior pitcher for the Woodlawn Lady Bears softball team, announced last week via social media that she has committed to play softball for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks at Fayetteville. According to ScorebookLive.com, McWhorter is ranked 27th nationally for the Class of 2025. The website reported that McWhorter can make a variety of pitches that includes a two-seam fastball she throws in the 67-68 mph range as well as a change-up, rise ball and drop ball. McWhorter made her decision to commit to the Razorbacks last Monday evening, Sept. 11, after getting an offer from Arkansas Softball Coach Courtney Deifel. She has visited and attended camps at Arkansas, Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma State, Louisville, Florida and others. McWhorter started pitching for the Lady Bears as a freshman, helping Woodlawn to a 20-2 record that included an 8-2A conference championship and a berth in the state tournament. Last year, McWhorter and the Lady Bears finished 20-9 and advanced to the second round of the state tournament. As a freshman, she was one of two in her class selected to the SBLive (ScoreBook Live) All-State softball first team. She finished that year with a 0.45 earned run average (ERA) and struck out 230 batters in 107 innings. Opponents had a .098 batting average against her. At the plate, she hammered eight home runs and drove in 39 runs.  During her sophomore season last year, McWhorter had nine home runs and 38 runs batted in at the plate. As a pitcher, she struck out 205 batters in 120.1 innings pitch and compiled a 1.69 ERA.   ...