American Heritage softball star has breakout season interrupted by 'basketball-sized' tumor
A 10-inch tumor has brought a temporary pause for a budding Palm Beach County softball star.
American Heritage-Delray starting pitcher Aubrey Wurst will miss the rest of the 2022 high school season after a 10-inch tumor was discovered in her abdomen on March 2.
Wurst was named a Top 10 national pitching prospect by recruiting services on Feb. 28, but traded in her uniform for a hospital gown days later after noticing her stomach was feeling hard and distended.
Doctors informed Wurst of the "eight-pound, basketball-sized" growth on her abdomen, which surgeons removed on Tuesday.
Wurst is expected to make a full recovery and her father, Rich, said the operation went "perfectly."
Wurst shared that her surgeon and staff at the Miami medical center "have been amazing," although no expertise could fully remedy the fear that comes when an athlete is told their health – and their career – might be in jeopardy.
"My initial reaction was fear that this could affect my summer ball season," Wurst said.
Wurst plays for one of the top teams in the state, the Tampa Mustangs Seymour, which have won at least one national title in each age group from 10U to 18U.
High school softball: Young Palm Beach Gardens crew stuns in first shutout
More Spring Sports: These Palm Beach County baseball stars broke out on spring break
Keep up with the latest news: Sign up for our new high school football recruiting newsletter
Although she should be 100 percent before summer, Wurst said she did feel guilty her high school season was cut short.
The Stallions have only competed in five games and Wurst had already struck out 60 batters and maintained a 3.38 ERA over 29 innings.
That stat line doesn't include Wurst's preseason complete game no-hitter, when she sat down 20 against West Boca Raton. She almost did it again in the Stallions' 6-0 win over Calvary Christian, when Wurst only allowed one hit in seven innings.
"I don’t want to let my team down, but my coaches, teammates, athletic department, and the academic side of American Heritage have been super supportive," Wurst said.
Wurst said the Stallions are a "young team with a positive future" benefitting from the leadership and talents of upperclassmen leaders Rachel Triola and Giada Napolitana, as well as the "star" power of seventh-grader Gracyn Needle.
Seniors Andi Gabler and Lucy Jacobowitz are options to step up in the circle for Wurst.
Wurst said she's heard a "four to six week" time frame before she can get back to demanding physical activity, a period she says she'll use to focus on her grades and 4.62 GPA.
Once Wurst has the "green light," she'll be hitting the weights as hard as she hits the books.
Wurst said that she and her coaches, including pitching coach JoAnn Ferrieri, at Deerfield Beach's Wasserman Strength "plan to pick back up" exactly where they left off on the young hurler's rise to greatness.
"I hate losing a large chunk of my sophomore high school ball season, but I know this will only make me stronger and motivated going forward," Wurst said.
"This is a minor bump in the road to reaching my dreams of playing major college softball."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: American Heritage softball star Aubrey Wurst out after tumor removed
