Sulton earns first college offer from Rust

Jul. 28—Jazlynn Sulton, Meridian High School's ace on the softball mound, recently took a big step toward accomplishing a goal she set for herself when she was in elementary school.

The MHS junior announced on Twitter, now rebranded as X, on Thursday that she picked up her first college softball offer. Rust College and coach Kendrick Vivians offered Sulton after she attended a camp at Rust.

"I was really excited," Sulton said. "It was really great to hear. I was really shocked."

Before Sulton was a standout for Meridian, she dreamed of playing college softball while watching the sport on TV as an elementary schooler. Now, she is even closer to living that dream, and Meridian softball coach Mark Davis is excited for her.

"She's had several coaches that reached out to me to talk about her, to get a little more information on her," Davis said. "I knew it was going to come, wasn't sure it was going to come this fast."

Sulton's skill on the mound is drawing eyes at the college level, and Davis said some college coaches told him they like the pitcher's competitiveness and her demeanor while she's on the field.

"If you didn't look at the scoreboard, you would not be able to tell if we were winning 10-0 or we were getting beat 0-10," Davis said. "Her demeanor stays the same. I know it's kind of cliche, but she dosen't get too high or too low."

Sulton began playing for the Wildcats in middle school, and she said she has improved in her time in the Meridian program because she attends hitting and pitching lessons when not at softball practice. In addition to getting extra work in during lessons, Sulton also plays in the high school offseason for the Rampage Orange travel team.

When Davis first met Sulton, she was a shy seventh grader. He said he did not know she could pitch until the end of her first summer of offseason workouts, but at the time she was good enough to start at pitcher for the Wildcats if biceps tendonitis and the coronavirus pandemic had not derailed her first varsity season.

Sulton has battled injuries in most of her varsity seasons, but has not let a sore back or a bad ankle stop her development on the mound. She threw 124 strikeouts to just 39 walks last season, which was good enough to post an 11-9 record for the Wildcats.

"She's definitely improved velocity-wise," Davis said. "She throws it up there with the best of the 6A girls that we see night in and night out, but her control has gotten so much better."

Sulton said she wants to pitch in college, and Rust is recruiting her to pitch. She has also played in the outfield for MHS and has some experience playing second base, third base and shortstop.

Davis said she could be one of the Wildcats' best infielders if needed, but she is so skilled at pitching that she is trusted to serve as an extra pitching coach during practices at times.

She is also a standout at the plate for MHS, and she currently hits second in the lineup. Davis said she probably hits balls harder than any other Wildcat.

"She's led the team in hitting the past two years. She's honestly probably a better hitter than she is a pitcher, and that's scary because she's a heck of a pitcher," Davis said. "She's got power to hit home runs, but just gap-to-gap, I think she led the team in doubles and triples this year. She dosen't strikeout very much, so she puts ball in play. Gives you a chance, and she puts the ball in play hard."

Sulton, who has been named first-team all-district three straight seasons, struck out just three times in 2023 while earning 30 hits, including nine extra-base hits, for a .484 batting average. She recorded 20 RBI but just two runs because Davis does not allow his pitcher to run the bases.

Sulton may not see as much time at her preferred position this season because the Wildcats have a rising eighth-grader that pitched for the junior varsity team last season, but Sulton has the skillset to make a big impact regardless of where she is on the field.

"We're going to try not to pitch Jaz as much," Davis said. "I would honestly like to cut her workload down some pitching-wise because when we get to district play I want her to be fresh and sharp instead of wearing her out like we have the past couple of years. I would really like to get her in some more at second base, at shortstop, or third base. Just give her a break from having to pitch every day."

Davis still has two years with his ace on the roster, and plenty of time to settle on an optimal way to deploy her in games. Sulton said she would like to win a championship with the Wildcats before she leaves, and she said she thinks her team can get there with a little more practice and team bonding.

Sulton is also a standout in the classrooms of MHS. She said she would like to play for a decent college softball program where she can earn playing time while studying sports medicine.

"All the teachers here at Meridian High, all the administrators, they talk about Jazlynn Sulton," Davis said. "They all know who she is, not only from her softball abilities, but just from her being a good kid and an upstanding citizen here at the school as well."

Contact Christian Knox on Twitter @TheChrisKnox