CHULA — Isabel Fernandez and Pyper McCard spent their high school days as teammates in various sports, mostly softball. Wednesday morning, they signed with schools that will place the Lady Panther duo far apart.
McCard signed with Western Kentucky, Fernandez with Mercer University.
“I couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments, their work ethic and their pursuit of excellence,” said Tiftarea head softball coach Rob Flick, who has also coached the duo in basketball. “Our motto is to be committed to excellence and I would say that both of these girls demonstrate that every day.”
Flick said Fernandez and McCard each achieved 100 hits in their high school careers and career batting averages over .400. “Both have been a part of multiple region championships,” he said.
The most pride for Flick, however, is “Not only are they great softball players, they’re great students, great teammates, great leaders and great role models.”
He gave an example in role models. Flick teaches elementary physical education classes and during the softball season, he’d hear chatter between the students, or to him about what both players did in their games.
“That means more than just about anything,” he said. “That means they’re inspiring the next generation of Tiftarea softball players.”
During their senior year, McCard had the higher average at .491, but Fernandez led in on-base percentage at .508. Fernandez was the squad’s stolen base leader, with McCard having the most RBIs. In the circle, McCard led in ERA and strikeouts.
McCard and Fernandez were major parts of Tiftarea’s state runner-up softball season in 2021. Flick had his favorite memories of both players. Fernandez’s came from that season. A game with Valwood in Chula decided the region title. Flick said he talked about plate discipline that week, about not trying to hit riseballs and pitches above their hands.
Fernandez reminded Flick that those were her favorite pitchers. Sure enough, Fernandez swung at one against Valwood — and lifted it over the left field fence. That was the only run in that game, a 1-0 Tiftarea victory. Flick said he never saw his assistants or Fernandez jump that high before the celebration.
For McCard, Flick’s favorite memory was not on the field, or even in softball season. Instead, it was a conversation that showed her dedication to the sport.
Flick was trying to convince McCard to play basketball again and he wanted her back in the lineup because of her height and athleticism.
McCard said she was not going to play hoops. She explained to him that she had been watching the Women’s College World Series. “I know that’s where I want to be one day, and I want to work to be there one day,” Flick recalled McCard telling him. Flick he knew that her mind was made up. She is going to pursue that dream.
“I wish you all the best at the next level,” Flick said. “Go Bears and go ‘Tops,” referring to the Bear mascot of Mercer and Western Kentucky’s Hilltopper.
The two have similar ideas for what they want to do with their college majors. Fernandez said she is thinking about exercise science. McCard wants to go into a medical field, but is not sure what direction yet.
Far from just being a softball star, Fernandez excels at basketball and soccer. McCard and Fernandez were on the Lady Panthers softball team that finished as state runners-up. Fernandez was on the basketball team that went to the state finals for the first time in school history and was on the semifinalist soccer team. It was the first time soccer won a state tournament game, much less appeared in the final four.