Local star now softball royalty with Dukes

Patience might be a virtue, but for Logan Newton, a James Madison sophomore softball outfielder, it was also a pain.

Newton, a former star for Lakewood Ranch High, saw just 16 at-bats as a freshman in 2018. After playing extensively on the Mustangs’ varsity team all four high school seasons, watching from the bench was a change of pace.

She came to the Dukes after a senior season in which she hit .485 with 10 doubles, five home runs and 34 RBIs.

Then 2019 started similarly, with Newton sitting on the bench for the Dukes first 10 games. However, a pinch-hitting opportunity against South Dakota on March 8 produced Newton's her first hit of the year — an RBI double. The next day, Newton started against Lehigh. She popped out in her first at-bat, but her second, after a full count, resulted in a three-run homer to right center.

In her third at-bat, Newton went deep again, this time to straightaway center for two runs. There was no looking back.

“Everyone comes to Division 1 softball as a top starter and expecting that to continue,” Newton said. “Not starting made me work harder than ever. This year, I have worked just as hard as last year. It has made it that much more satisfying to have earned this role when I did not have it last year.”

In the regular season, Newton hit .427, the 18th-best mark in Division 1 as of this writing, with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs. Those are great numbers, but if she had played those first 10 games, they could be even better. Regardless, Newton was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team for her efforts. Thanks in part to her offensive outburst, the Dukes earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, which began May 17, ranked 16th in the country.

Update: The Dukes won their Regional bracket to advance to the Super Regionals. They will play second-ranked UCLA in a three-game set beginning 9 p.m. May 24 on ESPNU. 

The strangest part of Newton’s saga isn’t her prowess at the plate but the fact that she’s at the plate at all. When I covered Newton and Lakewood Ranch in 2017, she was a good hitter (you saw the numbers), but an even better pitcher. She held a 0.43 ERA as a senior (14-2), with 147 strikeouts to just 27 walks. James Madison announced her as a pitcher/outfielder when she signed, but Newton said due to roster construction, hitting was the fastest way for her to help the team. 

“Honestly, the biggest difference between college and high school is learning to see which pitches you can hit hard and which you cannot,” Newton said. “Eventually you realize the game speeds up and you will get lost in the masses if you do not get faster, too. You cannot wait for the game to slow down for you. Our coaches have also helped us a lot and worked on mechanical things. I changed my footwork a little to help my timing. I take a step now. It helps me connect.”

As James Madison continues its tournament run, Newton hopes Lakewood Ranch has a great run in its state tournament as well.

It was with the Mustangs, after all, where Newton found her competitive drive, the thing that helped her land her current starring role.