Lady Pirates look for elusive first state title

Concord reached the Class 1A statechampionship softball game in 2015 and ’16 and exited in the quarterfinals last year after a 28-4 mark. With a new but familiar coach, the Lady Pirates are looking for bigger things in 2018. “We’ve been really, really good the past five years,” said Keith Cornett, who makes the move to softball after about 20 years as Concord’s baseball coach. “We will be really good again this year. We’re excited. We’ve got a lot of kids coming back, and we want to try to do the best we can.” An interesting mix is back to lead the Lady Pirates, who return six starters — two seniors, a junior and three sophomores. Senior Kendall White moves from third base to pitcher this spring. Her sister Lizzie White, a junior, moves to catcher from center field. Senior Kaleah Davis is back at shortstop. Sophomores Macy Morgan, second base; Annalise Cornett, center field; and Avery Sutherland, right field, return after starting as freshmen. Cornett said the Lady Pirates will rely heavily on the White sisters and Davis for batting average. Davis and Kendall White are power hitters. Davis leads the fielders. Morgan, “crazy fast,” provides the best speed, Cornett said. Freshman third baseman Abi West has the best arm. Kendall White, who has already signed with Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, will be the ace on the mound. Cornett said Davis could play at the next level. So how will the Lady Pirates return to the state-championship game? “We just hope that we come together,” Cornett said. “We’ve got great leadership — tremendous leadership — with my three seniors.” Besides that leadership and experience, the Lady Pirates’ strength is defense. At press time, they were 3-0, having not surrendered a run. A weakness, at least early, will be overall hitting, Cornett said. Concord plays in combinedconference 1A-2A District 8 with Midland, Pangburn, Rural Special, Shirley, Timbo and West Side Greers Ferry. To advance to the postseason, the Lady Pirates must finish among the top four in the 1A-2 South District Tournament against Bradford, Midland, Southside Bee Branch and West Side Greers Ferry. Concord won the Class 1A Region 3 Tournament last season to earn a first-round bye in the Class 1A State Tournament. The Lady Pirates knocked off Izard County in the second round, 11-1, but fell to Scranton, winner of Region 4, in the quarterfinals, 5-2. Scranton went on to the statechampionship game before falling to Taylor. Cornett said games to watch in 2018 will include South Side Bee Branch in league play and an early-season tournament at Hope. After a 3-0 start, the coach said, his switch from baseball to softball has been “great.” “We’re really good, so that’s fun, but I needed a change,” he said. “I’m really liking it.”