LFO ready for softball resurgence
After a three-year absence from the state playoffs, the LFO Lady Warriors - the pioneers of fastpitch softball in extreme northwest Georgia - finally got back to the postseason in 2016.
A still-youthful squad earned the bid after a 7-5 mark in Region 6-AAA, but the Red-and-White were eliminated by East Jackson in the opening round, closing the door on a 17-17 campaign.
But after losing just one senior to graduation, the Lady Warriors are hoping to kick the door wide open in 2017.
“On paper, we have a good group coming back,” said head coach Tony Ellis, now in his third season in his second stint with the program. “But a lot of the other teams in our region are in the same boat, so it will be a tough battle just to get out of our region, like it always is.
“But we’re excited about all we have returning. Our numbers are up from 13 to 17 and we’ve got upcoming freshmen that are good players, so we have a little more depth than we had last year. We’ve got some kids that can compete for positions and that push the others to work harder.”
The 2017 version of the Lady Warriors should be a veteran one as the Red-and-White lost only one senior - Shelby Haught - due to graduation.
LFO will be led by a quintet of seniors this fall, including third baseman Karson Bradford, pitcher Kourtney Morrison and outfielders Shayniah Jones, Jerrian Jackson and Chelsey Lindsay. Morrison, the team’s No. 1 pitcher, won 13 games with a 3.95 ERA in the circle last season while also hitting .412 to go with 13 doubles and 25 RBIs.
Shortstop Taylor Phillips is back to lead the junior class. An excellent defensive player as well, Phillips not only hit a teamleading .439, but was also the Lady Warriors’ triple crown winner as
she also led the team in home runs (6) and RBIs (28), while also pacing the squad in hits (43) and runs scored (30).
The rest of the juniors include catcher/ first baseman Lindsey Teague, who is healthy after missing a good portion of the 2016 season with an injury. The class in rounded out with sisters Jennifer Coates (pitcher/first base) and Jessica Coates (catcher/pitcher). Jennifer threw 50.2 innings for LFO last fall and picked up four wins.
A pair of left-
handed slap-hitters in Keelie Mauk and Maddy Adkins make up a small contingent of sophomores. Both started as freshmen a season ago, Mauk at second and Adkins in rightfield.
Ellis also has high hopes for a strong rookie class, which features shortstop/ pitcher Auna Rolfe, second baseman/third baseman Breckyn Goode, outfielder Morgan Ritchie, pitcher/ infielder Haley Stahl, catcher Taylor Bono and pitcher/first baseman Kyla Orr.
Lauren (Flores) Dyer, Nicole Josephsen and Kensey Sholl will serve as Ellis’ assistant coaches.
Ellis said his team seems to be sporting a new-found confidence this year, based on the number of experienced players returning to the lineup.
“We went to the playoffs last year and I think it was the first time for all of the girls (that are returning),” Ellis said. “I think they feel like they can play with most of the teams in our region. I don’t think they’re intimidated. They expect to win now. It bothers them to lose now and hopefully, with the experience under our belts, they’re going to come out and compete and play hard.”
He added that pitching would ultimately be the key to his team’s success.
“It always boils down to who’s in that circle,” he added. “You obviously have to have good players around them, but if our pitchers can do what I think they are capable of doing, then I think we have a shot at a region championship. But that’s why you play the games. You still need to peak at the right time.”
The Lady Warriors will play a scrimmage game at Northwest Whitfield on Thursday, Aug. 3 before opening the season on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at home against Dade County. The region opener will be Thursday, Aug. 10 at Calhoun.