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You can’t stop Carolyne Garcia, you can only hope to contain her. The LaGrange senior softball player has started her final year on the diamond with the Grangers with a bang. A bang might undersell it as Garcia’s bat has absolutely exploded to start this season.

Through three games, Garcia is 10-for-14 with 13 RBIs. What is even more impressive is three of those hits are home runs as the senior is on a torrid tear.

Garcia threw the gauntlet down from game one in which she hit two home runs against Central Carrollton in a dramatic 18-17 victory.

“Just stepping on the diamond with this team again was exciting and the intensity of it being our first game and against a really good school made it feel like a big game,” Garcia said. “The dugout and coach Craig (Mobley) was behind me all the time motivating me.”

This hot streak did not conjure out of thin air. Garcia has been one of the team’s best hitters the last two seasons but has elevated her game to new heights this season. It comes with a lot of hard work in the offseason and a shift in attitude. Garcia has worked to be a better teammate and presence in the dugout which has paid big dividends.

“One of my goals is to be a better character for myself and for my teammates, and just to take criticism as best as possible, because that’s what college is going to be like,” Garcia said. “I think that I’m meeting those goals as of now, and I hope I can keep my standards up.”

“I also worked on my speed and agility,” she added. “I have changed my entire stance at the plate and now the ball travels even faster off my bat.”

Garcia has been a stalwart at first base the last couple of seasons, but she is diversifying her abilities by playing more catcher this season. It’s a shrewd move to help showcase her versatility to college coaches.

“I used to be a catcher, like my whole entire life, and then I had knee surgery, so I had to come to the realization that I’m not gonna do it, so my eighth-grade year I was playing third base, and then KK (Reynolds) switched over and I moved to first, and I’ve kind of just earned that spot. I’ve given it my all there,” she said. “ironically, this year is when I’m getting back into catching, like, for colleges, I feel it was better for me to do it and show my skills at other positions, and I feel like that’s just gonna make me a better weapon for college.”

Playing college ball is something that the senior has had eyes on for a while. Garcia recently received her first college offer and with the way she is swinging the bat at the moment, it won’t be long before she draws even more attention to herself.

“i have a couple of visits that are going to be scheduled during the off-season, and I just got my first offer from Bryant and Stratton, and it’s a really good school, and then I’m going on another visit to a school in South Carolina,” Garcia said.

The Grangers came into this season with high hopes with a region title and a trip to Columbus for the Elite Eight firmly in their sights. Garcia and her 12 senior cohorts are the catalysts for these aspirations.

“We are like one big old family and there is a lot of competition for spots and a lot of talented young girls coming up that are pushing for a spot,” Garcia said. “It’s just a different culture this year.”

Garcia and the Grangers will be hitting the road for a tournament on Saturday and have yet to play a game at home this season. The Granger fans will have to bide their time to see the Garcia show in person as they are not slated to play their first home game in Granger Park until Aug. 20. The Garcia show travels and its next stop is Lee County on Saturday.