Franklinton softball’s Summer Jacobs raises money with each strikeout

As a starting pitcher since her freshman season, Summer Jacobs has piled up plenty of strikeouts during her prolific career at Franklinton. But it wasn’t until this offseason that Jacobs came up with a way to use her talents to help others.

By chance, Jacobs read an article about a high school athlete in another state who was able to raise money through personal statistics.

So Jacobs decided to find sponsors to contribute monetarily for every strikeout she collected during the 2017 campaign, with the funds going to the Miracle League of Franklin County.

“I’ve helped some with the Special Olympics and have interacted with some of the Miracle League kids,” Jacobs said. “It’s something I have a passion for. I want to (study special education in college), so this is a way for me to do something with that while I am still in high school.”

Jacobs now has 90 strikeouts for the year with three more regular-season outings remaining – and maybe even another appearance in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2A playoffs.

Jacobs has already raised over $1,000 for the Miracle League.

Since she was 7, Jacobs has been coached by her father, Felton, even going back to their days together with the Louisburg-Youngsville Rec League All-Stars.

When Summer Jacobs was a freshman at Franklinton, the head coach became ill, and Felton, then an assistant, was promoted on an interim basis that has now lasted almost four seasons.

“It can be tough (having her father as the coach), but we have been on the field with each other since I was little,” Summer Jacobs said. “I know some people might think he treats me better, but it’s really the opposite. If I mess up, I hear about it at home, too.”

This story was originally published April 22, 2017 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Franklinton softball’s Summer Jacobs raises money with each strikeout."