GHS softball’s Braylin Cook, McKenna O’Sullivan sign collegiately

Gainesville High's Braylin Cook (left) and McKenna O'Sullivan signed on Monday to play college softball. Photo by Mike Ridaught
Gainesville High's Braylin Cook (left) and McKenna O'Sullivan signed on Monday to play college softball.
Photo by Mike Ridaught

There’s still one more high school season left for Gainesville softball players Braylin Cook and McKenna O’Sullivan.

On Monday, the GHS offensive sluggers ensured their journey would continue beyond their senior year when they signed collegiately.

Cook signed with Division-I Alabama State University, while O’Sullivan chose Santa Fe College.

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“The coaching staff actually used to be the coaching staff at FAMU, and they were showing interest in me since my freshman year,” said Cook, who turns 18 on Saturday. “We kind of fell off communication my sophomore and junior year but she [Coach Camise Patterson] transferred to Alabama State and wanted me to come with her and I truly trust her…I loved Alabama. I love being able to be in a different state and start over, and I’m really excited.”

O’Sullivan will not only remain in the Sunshine State, but her family and friends won’t have to go far to watch her play.

“I’m beyond blessed,” O’Sullivan said about the opportunity to play for the Saints. “I worked so hard, especially this summer…I’m kind of close with one of the Santa Fe coaches (former GHS player Katie Chronister) and I reached out to her and asked if they were looking for any 25s…I went on a visit [in October] and I did really, really well and they offered me on the spot and I took it because it’s close to home, I get to be with everybody still, I get to be in Gainesville still, so I just had to take it.”

Gainesville's Braylin Cook
Photo by C.J. Gish Gainesville’s Braylin Cook leads the Hurricanes with a .466 batting average and 12 home runs her junior season.

The two Hurricanes thanked past and current coaches and talked about finishing the mission.

Last year the duo were the only .400-plus hitters for the Class 5A state runner-up Hurricanes (24-5), who lost a heartbreaker in extra innings to Parrish Community in last year’s state title game.

“McKenna and Braylin were a huge part of our success last year, and hopefully they will be again this year as well,” said GHS softball coach Chris Chronister.

Cook had a sensational junior season, finishing with a team-high 12 home runs and a team-best .432 batting average.

“Her power numbers stand out above everything else,” Chronister said. “If she can have another year like last year, it will be outstanding. Also, she’s a very good hitter besides her power. She’s a tough out. Just a great mindset at the plate.”

Cook attributed her success at the plate to being calm in the box. Her best game came against Columbia (Lake City) in the district semifinals when she hit three home runs in the game.

“It was surreal, and then I hit it over the big one [center field fence} and I was like, ‘oh, my gosh,’ I don’t know, something was in that bat,” she said with a laugh.

Most of the commits going to Alabama State are catchers, but they also need “corners” and Cook played third base her freshman year and part of her sophomore year at GHS and during travel ball.

O’Sullivan, who made the Bosshardt Realty Big School All Area team last year along with Cook, is “sort of a utility defensive player,” according to Chronister, but last year she played third base.

“She’s just a good all-around defensive player,” he said. “We could put her in a lot of places, but her biggest asset to the team is her offensive abilities. She’s just a very consistent hitter, always confident when she goes up there, and it doesn’t matter what type of pitching we’re facing, she’s going to be a tough out.”

As a junior, O’Sullivan batted .404 with a team-leading 38 hits. She was second behind Cook with 35 RBI and 10 doubles.

O’Sullivan, who transferred from Columbia (Lake City) after her sophomore season, only struck out one time in 109 plate appearances last year.

Gainesville's McKenna O'Sullivan. File photo by C.J. Gish
Photo by C.J. Gish Gainesville’s McKenna O’Sullivan had a .404 batting average with 35 RBI and 10 doubles her junior season.

“Very aggressive,” she said. “Be very aggressive. The first strike that I see I swing at because pretty much the first strike you see is the best pitch you’re going to see in the at-bat. I have a lot of confidence in myself at the plate. I know I’m going to hit the ball so swinging at the first strike is my go-to. That’s my strength.”

She’s going to put the ball in play one way or another.

Cook and O’Sullivan have been putting in additional work to help the team reach its goal of a state title this spring.

“I’m in weightlifting right now so I’ve been getting stronger with weightlifting, perfecting my form, going to all the meets and everything,” Cook said. “I think we’ll be better than last year as long as we stick to the same game and don’t get cocky and play the smart game and play the calm game, we’ll be good.”

O’Sullivan said she’s in the gym every morning at 5 a.m.

“Last year I didn’t do weightlifting, which is why I think I kind of struggled in the second half of the season and why I didn’t get as many hits as I normally did in the second half,” she said. “But this year I’ve been in the gym, I’ve been eating better, I’ve been going to speed training, we’ve definitely been training a lot harder and a lot more than last season.”

It was team chemistry that helped the ‘Canes advance to their first final four in eight years, followed by a win against Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches) in the state semifinals. They will be two of several starters returning this season.

“It was really cool because I was a transfer, so I wasn’t really expecting much out of the season,” said O’Sullivan. “I was hoping to win districts and the fact that we made it all the way to state, I can’t be prouder of the team. We worked so unbelievably hard. Every single one of us were showing up to practice 45 minutes early, an hour early, to get some extra reps in…it was just really cool to be a part of a team. We’re all family at this point.”

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