Senior Tiger softball catcher inks letter-of-intent to play at McPherson College

Jobe, a four-year starter for Coach Dionne Ewing’s Tiger softball team at catcher, joined teammates, teachers, and her parents – Kim and Chuck Jobe – in the event center’s lobby where she happily signed her life away for the next four years or so.

The talented catcher initially didn’t care for the sport, but she was only eight years old at the time. A couple of years later she tried again and fell in love with the sport. “I first played softball when I was eight,” she remembered. “I didn’t like it. I was around 10 when I started again, and I loved it.”

She came to her role as a catcher almost by accident. “We needed a catcher one year, and the coach asked me, and I fell in love with the position.”

It turns out that the sport, and the Tigers, love her. In addition to her considerable skills behind the plate, she also batted around .400 last year for the Tigers, a team that finished 6-4 in the West Yosemite League, beating Santa Maria in the opening playoff rounds before dropping a close 6-4 decision to Selma.

McPherson College is a private liberal arts college associated with the Church of Brethren and located in McPherson, Kansas. The school was founded in 1887.

The Bulldogs are a formidable team. Coached by Tony Segovia, they were 33-16 last season. Jobe, who also plays for a traveling team, said a college recruiter saw one of her games. She said he talked to her after the game. She looked up the school, and it interested her then visited McPherson and “I just fell in love with the school.”

Jobe won’t have any issues with the college curriculum. She carries about a 3.7 GPA. But before she leaves for the plains of Kansas, she still has a season left with the Tigers. They’re currently doing a few drills and working out, and play begins in the early spring. “I think this year we can do pretty good,” she said. “We did well last year.”