Katie Carden followed in the footsteps of family to achieve her goal of signing with a Division I softball program. Her cousin, Jayden, was a starting first baseman as a freshman for Orange’s 2017 3A State Championship team. Carden wears the number of another cousin, Kacie Chamberlain, a former Orange pitcher whose horizons were bright before her life was cut tragically short in 2012. On Wednesday, Carden formally signed with Queen’s University out of Charlotte, which officially completed its transition from a Division II to a Division I program over the summer. Carden has been a starter since the start her freshman season. Last year, Carden led Orange with a .482 batting average. She also led the team with five home runs, 32 RBIs and a .561 on-base percentage as the Lady Panthers reached the 2nd round of the 3A State Playoffs. In the opening round, a 15-7 win over Triton in Erwin, Carden finished 2-for-4 with a home run and a triple. She opened her junior season by going 4-for-4 with six RBIs in a 10-1 victory at South Granville. Carden, the daughter of Greg and Christy Carden, has a .409 lifetime batting average with seven home runs and 66 RBIs. Carden will begin her senior season in February against Oak Grove High out of Winston-Salem.
