PREP SOFTBALL: St. James looking for more than just a berth in the state tourney

Emily Needham leads a strong contingency from St. James into the Class 3A, Area 6 tournament beginning today. (File Photo)

By TIM GAYLE

Last year, the St. James softball team made their first trip to the Alabama High School Athletic Association state tournament in 14 years.

This year, the Trojans have their sights set a little higher.

“We know we’re a young team but we’re all getting older and better every year,” pitcher Emily Needham said. “Since we went to state last year, we all have that mentality that we are going to state this year.”

The Trojans (30-2) open postseason play at home today in the 3A Area 6 tournament against Montgomery Academy. Win two games and they will advance to the Central Regionals a week later at Lagoon Park Softball Complex. 

But if the Trojans were a little wide-eyed and eager to make the state tournament last year, they’re a little more battle-tested and more of an experienced squad this season. There are no seniors on the team and just three juniors, so it’s hard to call it a veteran squad, but Needham, the sophomore, is now in her fourth year, along with fellow sophomore Sydney Johnston. 

“Everybody, obviously, is a year older,” St. James coach Mark Hall said. “Everything we do starts in the circle with our pitching and Emily being another year better. Our catching is as good (as last year). We’ve got three catchers that are really good and that makes a difference for Emily. But it’s not just Emily. We have other pitchers, too.”

With just two seniors on last year’s team, most of the group returns with experience but it all starts with Needham, who earned Capital City Conference Player of the Year honors a year ago and is even better this season. 

“Emily works,” Hall noted. “Her control is better. When we get into area play, regionals and if we can make it to state, she’s going to have to pitch back to back. She’s stronger, more accurate and her specialty pitches are working a lot better and are more effective than they were last year.”

Facing back-to-back challenges at the regional and state level can be mentally challenging but Needham feels she is ready for the moment.

“I think it’s honestly a mentality,” she said. “If I make a mistake and throw a bad pitch, I’m like it’s OK, you’re good, just throw a strike on the next pitch. Like I have a better mentality. It’s definitely different this year. I just go and I’m in the moment. I don’t worry about anything else, just focus on throwing strikes.”

Last year’s team may have been a little indecisive at times, having never advanced past the area tournament. This year’s squad has more confidence and is therefore a little more aggressive both at the plate and in the field. 

“I think something I’ve noticed is we score in the first inning and the second inning almost every game,” Needham said. “I feel like that’s a big help. We’ve scored already, it’s not like we sit back and say, OK, we need to get a hit. We’ve already gotten the hit, we have that momentum.”

The Trojans will enter the area tournament with an 8-0 record in Class 3A, with six of those games coming against area competition. Most of their wins were against larger teams, as were both losses (to 7A Central-Phenix City), so a tougher schedule and a tougher mindset should lead to a deeper run in the state tournament following last year’s 1-2 performance.

“Last year, we had a good run and got in the state and when we got there, we were eyes wide open, kind of the deer-in-the-headlights look,” Hall said. “But we’ve seen it now, we know what it takes and the girls are hungry for it. We only lost two seniors from last year’s team and they were important, but when you have everybody else coming back and they’ve been to the state tournament, they can build on that. And they want to take it a step further.”

3A AREA 6 TOURNAMENT

AT ST. JAMES

Monday’s Schedule

St. James vs. Montgomery Academy, 1 p.m.

Trinity vs. Alabama Christian, 3 p.m.

SJ-MA winner vs. Trinity-ACA winner, 5 p.m.

SJ-MA loser vs. Trinity-ACA loser, 7 p.m.

Tuesday’s Schedule 

Semifinal game, 2 p.m.

Championship, 4 p.m. (A second game, if necessary, will follow at 6 p.m.)