SPRING ROUNDUP: Catholic tops ACA; LAMP baseball plays first varsity 'home' game
ACA’s Haley Oswald is tagged out by Catholic shortstop Alanna Aiken in the Knights’ win on Thursday. (Tim Gayle)
COMBINED REPORTS
Alabama Christian Academy’s softball team was down to its final out, trailing Catholic 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh.
But ACA coach Chris Goodman wasn’t standing in the coach’s box at third base, offering words of encouragement to the batter. He was in the dugout, telling the previous batter how her mechanics at the plate led to a popup and the Eagles’ second out.
It’s going to be one of those types of seasons.
The Eagles went with Rose Costanza, Izzy Warrick and Haley Cassidy in the circle, managing to stay one step ahead of the Catholic batters for most of the game before allowing two runs in the top of the seventh in a 4-3 loss at Alabama Christian on Thursday.
“We’re trying to win games at the end of the year, not necessarily in February,” he said. “That’s why I threw three different pitchers today. I’m trying to get us ready to win when we need to win. It’s all about experimenting and finding the best combination.”
Costanza allowed only a double to Chloe Walden at the end of the third inning, while Warrick gave up a pair of singles, the latter an RBI single by Walden in the fifth that gave the Knights a 2-1 lead. Cassidy, who pitched the final two innings, surrendered four consecutive walks -- and a pair of runs -- in the seventh before getting three consecutive outs without allowing any more damage.
Had it been an important area game -- the two teams were area rivals a year ago but are now in different classifications -- Goodman might have been quicker to make a pitching change.
“I never would have taken out Rose,” Goodman said. “Rose only gave up one hit in three innings. And Izzy threw OK when she came in but I’m just trying to build confidence with all three.”
Goodman’s biggest concern was at the plate, where Haley Ingram went 2 for 4 and scored twice, Warrick went 1 for 4 with a double and scored in the bottom of the seventh to draw the Eagles within a run and Costanza went 3 for 4 with a pair of RBIs. The remainder of the lineup went 1 for 17.
“You miss a season, basically, last year and I don’t have as many travel ball players so we’re really behind right now,” Goodman said. “We’ve got to get some at-bats. We’ve got to swing the bats better. How well we hit will be how well we do this year. I can’t rely on Haley Ingram, Rose and Izzy to score runs, just them. I need the middle of the lineup hitting.”
Catholic coach Whitney Toole was equally frustrated after watching her offense put the first two runners on base in the fourth and fail to score after hitting into a double play and put consecutive runners on base with one out in the sixth and come away empty.
“To have gotten out of this one with the errors we made…” she began. “They did what it took to win. We had too many errors, though.”
Catholic hasn’t had much success over the years with ACA, particularly at Denise Ainsworth Field, and Toole said that might have played a role in the Knights’ mistakes on Thursday.
“I think it gets in their head a little bit,” she said. “I hope this will stop it.”
One major asset was a solid middle defense, led by veteran pitcher Carissa Gilbert, shortstop Alanna Aiken and second baseman Walden and center fielder Makenzie Norton.
“We started off the first game or so rough,” Toole said, “but we’re starting to find a groove. We’re still working people to see who we want in which positions.”
ACA (1-4) will travel to Auburn to face Central-Phenix City on Friday in the opening round of a tournament. Catholic (4-2-1) will play host to Pike Road on Tuesday.
SOFTBALL
Prattville Christian 15, Holtville 1
HOLTVILLE - Landyn McAnnally won in the circle and had two hits including a homer and a double with five runs driven in to lead Prattville Christian to the 5-inning win.
Arielle Williams was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and three RBIs. Sarah Williams had two hits including a home run while Alivia Messick was 3-for-4 with a run driven in. Payson Hanson added two hits as part of the 16-hit attack for the Panthers (5-1).
BASEBALL
LAMP 6, Park Crossing 4
The LAMP Golden Tigers played its first “true” home game in school history, earning a victory over the Thunderbirds.
Preston Stephens had the go-ahead two-run double while Josh Bell was the winning pitcher going four-plus innings.
Traditionally, LAMP had played its home games at Paterson Field before moving the school to the former Montgomery Mall. The school’s JV team had played three games previously at the field.
LAMP is scheduled to play at Reeltown on Saturday.