While it isn't unusual for freshmen to have an immediate impact at a two-year school such as the Morristown, Tenn., community college, the play of Curtis and Wimpy has truly been eye-opening.
Wimpy, Bartow's player of the year as a senior, has placed her name in the top 10 of several of the nation's hitting categories -- batting average, on-base percentage, home runs -- and Curtis, an all-county selection in high school as well, is hitting just a tad below the .473 average she had in her final high school season.
Heading into Wednesday's game with Spartanburg (S.C.) Community College, the former Lady Colonel had gone 32 for 68 -- a .471 average -- with four home runs, eight doubles, one triple, 16 RBIs, 20 runs and two stolen bases. Curtis's batting average lay just four percentage points shy of the nation's 50th best hitter -- Shawna Comeaux of Pima (Ariz.) Community College -- who was hitting .475.
Cass coach Greg Hight pointed to his former player's versatility as one of her greatest strengths.
"She carries the whole package. She can play infield or outfield. She's very versatile," Hight said. "[As a leadoff hitter], she can come up, she'll work the pitcher for a count. She can lay down the bunt or she can swing the bat and give you a 1-0 lead.
"She can do several things," he added of the Lady Colonels' single-season record holder in steals with 35. "Samaria is very intelligent to the game. She's smart. She's a good athlete. ... I haven't gotten up there to see a game, but we've talked on the phone a couple of times. She seems to be enjoying herself."
Wimpy appears to be having a blast herself, and after the kind of season she has had thus far, who could blame her?
The Lady Wildcats' all-time home run leader hasn't slowed down a bit from the pace she set in the final fall of her prep career when she hit .577 with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs. Going into Wednesday, the Walters State catcher sported a .620 average (44 for 71) and a .667 OBP, with 12 homers. According to the National Junior College Athletic Association website, those numbers place Wimpy No. 1 in the nation in hitting; tied for eighth in home runs; and first in OBP.
Additionally, Wimpy had 11 doubles, 32 RBIs, 34 runs and two stolen bases.
Her smooth transition to college ball is what Woodland coach Colman Roberts envisioned for Wimpy.
"Hopefully, we helped her with that. I stayed on her a lot and I expected a lot out of her," Roberts said. "She grew up as a young lady and a player [in her] four years at our school.
"I did tell her her best is yet to come playing more games in the college atmosphere and being away from home and [traveling]."
The Lady Wildcats skipper credited Wimpy's ability to hit for power and use all parts of the field as the things that make her a dangerous hitter.
"Her senior year she started to go the other way. They tended to pitch away from her and she handled that well," Roberts said. "Her softball ability is there. She's [Division-I caliber] without a doubt, and we found out how much we missed her when she wasn't on the field for us when she graduated."
As much as he has enjoyed monitoring Wimpy's success this season, Roberts also revels in how she has done off the field.
"To be honest with you, the thing I'm excited about is her grades and her schoolwork. She's doing well," he said.
Roberts plans to take in a game this spring to see Wimpy play.
"I've talked to her several times. We're actually going to go up and watch her after spring break. They're [playing] in Chattanooga," he said.
He hopes Wimpy continues to hit at her current clip.
"I saw a couple of box scores for her and Samaria they're just killing it," Roberts said. "I think that's awesome that they choose that place."