FRIDAY PREPS: Prattville wins twice in FCA softball
Opp High School’s Jaidyn Ivey takes third on throw to third base, fielded by Prattville’s Sarah Grace Jones in the Lions’ win on Friday in the FCA Alex Wilcox Memorial Tournament at Lagoon Park. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Prattville coach Brian Pittman wasn’t quite sure what he would see from starting pitcher Kaytie Chandler on Friday.
“You hope for the best when you see warmups, but obviously getting between the lines changes everything,” Pittman said. “But she battled today. I thought the whole team did.”
Chandler, continuing her recovery from an offseason injury, was at her best on Friday, allowing just one earned run in six innings as the Lions edged Opp 3-2 to take first place in their pool in the third FCA Alex Wilcox Memorial Softball Tournament at Lagoon Park Softball Complex.
“Kaytie stepped up big for us in this game today,” Pittman said. “I thought she threw the ball really, really well. I thought she located the ball well. That’s a good Opp team and I thought she had some good stuff today.”
If Pittman was a little unsure, Chandler wasn’t. Injuring her ulnar collateral ligament in her non-throwing arm during the offseason put her behind on her preparation for this season, but the sophomore has steadily closed the gap and said she felt at 100 percent on Friday.
“I got in a golf cart accident on Halloween night and my season went downhill,” Chandler explained. “I found out I had torn my UCL in my non-throwing arm and it took me a while to come back from that, about four months. It was a rocky road back, but I’ve been working my butt off to try and get back. It’s finally clicked, I think.”
“I’m not too far behind. I’m almost there. I’m still trying to build up my strength from what I lost and trying to get up my bat speed and pitching ability.”
Sarah Grace Jones went 2 for 3 and drove in the game’s first two runs as the Lions and Bobcats were tied at 2-2 after five innings. Per international rules, pinch runner Elizabeth Kyser was placed at second base in the top of the sixth but Chandler struck out Bradleigh Lanier and retired the side in order to keep the game tied.
“I had a lot of confidence in myself,” Chandler said. “My spin was working, I was hitting my spots. I was ready to shut them out.”
In the bottom of the sixth, pinch runner Mady-Cate Lindsey was placed at second. Opp ace Reese Cauley got two quick outs before freshman Laci Jackson doubled to right center field to score Lindsey and end the game.
“I honestly just trusted my hands,” Jackson said. “This girl’s got me twice, I just need to trust myself this time. Whenever I hit the ball, I knew that was it.”
Chandler, who drove in the game-winning run earlier in the day in a 6-4 win over Austin, pitched a complete game in her dual with Cauley to put the Lions in the Gold Bracket on Saturday.
“The team really depends on her,” Jackson said. “She plays a big role in leading us in hits and she’s a great pitcher. She’s very strong and very accurate.”
She allowed just three hits to the Bobcats while striking out six and walking two.
“She needed that,” Pittman said. “She’s been battling the last couple of weeks and looked a lot better on everything she has done. I’m excited for her. She’s going to be big for us.”
Prattville 6, Austin 4
Kaytie Chander’s fifth-inning RBI single broke a 4-4 tie and helped the Lions defeat defending tournament champion Austin 6-4 in the opening game of the third FCA Alex Wilcox Memorial Softball Tournament on Friday.
Maddie Putteet drove in a pair of runs and Sarah Grace Jones drove in a run to help Prattville win its tournament opener. Kylie Jarman went 2 for 3 and scored twice in the win.
Jarman was the winning pitcher in the circle, allowing two hits while walking five and striking out six. All four Austin runs were unearned.
Catholic 18, Abbeville 1 (3)
The Knights scored 11 runs in the first inning to defeat Abbeville 18-1 and bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to Brantley earlier in the day in the third FCA Alex Wilcox Memorial Softball Tournament at Lagoon Park Softball Complex on Friday.
The Knights took advantage of six walks and three errors to jump out to a big lead in a game shortened to three innings by the mercy rule.
Jennifer Looney singled in Rylee Wilcoxson with the game’s first run and Giselle Ruiz added a two-run single later in the inning for a 6-0 lead. Looney added another RBI single in the inning as 14 Catholic batters came to the plate in the inning.
BOYS SOCCER
Catholic 10, BTW-Tuskegee 0
TUSKEGEE -- Will Bellsterling scored four goals as Catholic won its fourth consecutive game with a 10-0 shutout of Booker T. Washington in an area matchup on Friday night.
The game was rescheduled from a March 10 postponement. The Knights improved to 6-1 in 4A Area 2 play with the win.
Other Catholic goals were scored by John Russell Smith, Todd Bonnell, Joe Reeves, Matt Russo, JP Costa and Ariyn Gilbert.
Bonnell assisted on three of the goals while Russo assisted on two. Other assists were provided by Max Barranco, Ben Chitlik, Gilbert and Tymari Isner.
Catholic (11-3) returns home to play 6A Wetumpka on Monday followed by an area rematch at Trinity on Thursday.
Catholic 4, Andalusia 0
ANDALUSIA -- Will Belsterling scored twice to lead the Knights to a 4A Area 2 victory over Andalusia on Thursday.
Max Barranco and Tymari Isner each had a goal and an assist in the win, while Ben Chitlick recorded an assist.
Catholic (10-3) improved to 5-1 in area play and will travel to Tuskegee to play Booker T. Washington in an area game on Friday.