Despite losing the production of the program’s single-season home run and RBI leader last season, the Bobcats have been fortunate to find an immediate replacement in freshman catcher Madison Claytor.
Claytor, an Alpharetta, Ga. native, has jumped into the middle of the Ohio lineup and provided an immediate presence in place of Lauren Gellerman, who graduated after serving as the Bobcats’ catcher the previous four seasons.
Claytor has started her freshman campaign batting .282 with 18 RBIs and four home runs. That may seem like a significant drop off from what Gellerman provided during her record-breaking season in 2013, but Claytor is actually ahead of Gellerman’s pace through her first 32 games.
As a freshman, Gellerman batted just .250 with seven RBI and four home runs in 22 games started. If Claytor keeps up her stride, she might surpass the two-time First Team All-Mid-American Conference selection as the greatest catcher in program history.
“She has really impressed me in her freshman year and we still have half a season to go,” coach Jodi Hermanek said. “She’s a joy to work with. She is loose and she’s light, which is great energy for the pitching staff, but at the same time she’s an intense firecracker and really intelligent behind the plate. ... It’s been an easy, painless adjustment.”
Knowing of Gellerman’s impending graduation, Hermanek and her staff were aware that they needed to find their next backstop. Fortunately, hitting coach Taylor Schlopy, who is in her second year with the program, knew a player nestled down in the Atlanta suburb.
“I had known her before and I had coached her, so I had seen her, did some lessons with her,” Schloppy said. “And we needed a catcher.”
Not only has Claytor gotten the job done in the batter’s box, but she has also done well behind the plate. Teams have had difficulties running on her, as she has thrown out 62 percent of runners and posted a .984 fielding percentage, which is third-highest on the team.
Normally you might see an adjustment period for someone who is handed the responsibility of handling the pitching staff while also having to provide a presence in the middle of the order. Claytor credits her teammates and coaching staff for her seamless transition.
“I started off a little nervous,” Claytor said. “(Savannah Jo Dorsey and Lauren McClary) told me in the first game, ‘We have your back, you have our back, just relax. ... It really helped me behind the plate just to know no matter what, they were there for me. Same with the rest of the team and coaching staff.”
The Bobcats rode Claytor’s hot start to their best start in school history as they won 12 out of their first 13 games of the season.
Claytor knows her job is far from over this season and those to come, but her fast start has surprised Hermanek, especially after she sustained a shoulder injury last fall.
“I never got to see the full attacking and defensive type of Madison until this January,” Hermanek said. “Her bat is what won her the hitting side of things, then her game calling approach is what won her the edge in the catching spot. I just really saw her thrive in the preseason, and it’s just been a great experience with her.”
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