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Kyle Parmley
Hoover Softball
Hoover's Pepper Nichols (3) bats during a Sidney Cooper Invitational game between Hoover and Auburn on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama
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Photo courtesy of Todd Drexler / University of South Alabama Strategic Communications
MC Nichols hit for a .339 batting average in 2017 and earned a Sun Belt Conference Co-Player of the Week honor.
David and Suzie Nichols’ traveling plans are going to become much simpler next spring.
That’s when their daughters, Caroline and Mary Catherine, will be members of the same softball team for the first time in three years. MC Nichols is currently a redshirt sophomore at the University of South Alabama, while Caroline “Pepper” Nichols is finishing up her senior year at Hoover High School and has signed with USA.
“I know it would mean a lot to my parents,” said Pepper Nichols, the leadoff hitter and second baseman for Hoover. “They won’t stop talking about how much they’re excited to be able to be in one place and watch us play together. They haven’t had that since we’ve both been here (at Hoover), so I know they’re going to enjoy it.”
When MC Nichols was a senior at Hoover, Pepper Nichols was a freshman. But with MC Nichols redshirting her freshman season at South Alabama, the sisters will have two years to play together in college.
“I’m hoping it’ll make us even closer than we already are,” said MC Nichols.
By the time MC Nichols pledged to South Alabama, her younger sister was sold on the university as well. Despite being in middle school at the time, Pepper Nichols felt right at home in Mobile when she would tag along on MC Nichols’ visits to campus.
“Ever since I went, just being around the coaches all the time because of Mary Catherine, I already feel like part of the family and I’m not even there yet,” Pepper Nichols said. “Having her there was a big part of it, because getting to play with her for a few more years is a big deal.”
The elder sister said she kept her influence out of Pepper Nichols’ college decision, wanting her to make her own decision. But she admitted that she was “super excited” when Pepper Nichols announced her intentions to play at South.
"Pepper adds some much needed speed to a class with a tremendous amount of power," South Alabama coach Becky Clark said in November.
MC Nichols hit for a .339 average last season in her redshirt freshman season, highlighted by being named the Sun Belt Conference Co-Player of the Week on February 28. During the preceding week, she had a .636 batting average (7-for-11) with three runs scored, two RBIs and a .909 slugging percentage in four games.
Both players have played center field and middle infield throughout their softball careers. At South Alabama, MC Nichols has settled into her role in center field and the Jaguars have signed Pepper Nichols to play in the infield. Pepper Nichols has spent her senior season at second base in preparation for her college days.
Even to the untrained eye, they are very similar players. The sisters each slap from the left side of the plate and use their speed to wreak havoc on the bases.
“They are both triple threats at the plate,” said Hoover head coach Lexi Shrout, who has coached both players. “They’re both fast.”
The biggest difference in the two likely lies in their personalities. MC Nichols is admittedly the more laid-back of the two and she used the words vocal, spunky, sassy and aggressive to describe her sister.
“I just want to win, so you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” said Pepper Nichols, when asked about her demeanor.
MC Nichols certainly wants to win as well. And next spring, they’ll get the chance to do that together.
“I think that’ll be special for their family,” said Shrout.
