By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
By BRUCE HIXON
Sports Editor
If the Jefferson Davis Community College Lady Warhawks softball team is hoping for a theme in 2006, it would be &#8220Quality is better than quantity.”
Although JDCC only has 11 players on its roster, the Lady Warhawks have experience on their side with seven returning sophomores.
The Lady Warhawks are coming off on an 18-33 season in 2005. JDCC finished tied for third in the Alabama Community College Conference south division with L.B. Wallace with an 11-13 record, but LBW got the third and final postseason qualifying spot through a tiebreaker.
Offense, or lack of, was the Lady Warhawks downfall a year ago. JDCC was shut out 18 times and scored two runs or less 31 times.
The numbers back that statement up. JDCC was 13-4 when it allowed two runs or less and 5-29 when it gave up three or more.
Pitching should be the Lady Warhawks strength again. JDCC returns both of its top hurlers from a year ago, sophomore righthanders Nikki Madden (Crestview, Fla.) and Lakyn Newton (Greenville). Madden had a 10-19 record last year despite a 1.60 earned run average. Newton was 8-12 with a 3.02 ERA. They will be joined on the mound by freshman righthander Amberly Whitworth (Bessemer).
Newton will spend a lot of her time this season at first base a long with sophomore Katie Simmons (Demopolis). Simmons hit .393 last season until she went down with a season-ending knee injury 23 games into the campaign.
Sophomore Jessica Cunningham (Milton, Fla.) is moving from her shortstop position of a year ago to second base this season.
Freshman Tanna Fontes (Natasulga) will slide into Cunningham's former job at shortstop.
Third base will probably be divided between freshman Rayna Hall (Cantonment (Fla.) and sophomore Stacy Sanders (Hazel Green).
When Sanders is not behind the plate at catcher, freshman Kayla Galloway (Vernon, Fla.) will be.
Because of the lack of roster depth, both Madden and Whitworth will have to play in the field, leftfield to be exact, when they are not pitching.
Sophomore Carleen Clark (Cantonment) will patrol centerfield.
Sophomore Makeyia Burt (Atmore) will fill out the outfield in rightfield.
Nims is hoping last season's near-miss for the ACCC playoffs is a lot of incentive for her team, especially the sophomores.
JDCC Softball Schedule
Feb. 7 Central Alabama Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Feb. 10 Bevill State Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Feb. 16 Okaloosa Walton Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Feb. 17 Wallace State-Hanceville Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Feb. 20 Bevill State Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Feb. 24 Jeff State Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 4 South Alabama JV Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 8 Pensacola Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 10-12 Wallace State-Hanceville Tournament
Mar. 14 Central Alabama Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 15 Danville Area Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 17-18 Okaloosa Walton Tournament
Mar. 22 Enterprise Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 24 Alabama Southern Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 25 McHenry Home 11 a.m.
Mar. 25 Sneads State Home 3 p.m.
Mar. 27 Faulkner State Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Mar. 30 L.B. Wallace Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 1 Wallace State-Dothan Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 4 Faulkner State Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 5 Enterprise Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 8 Chattahoochee Valley Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 14 L.B. Wallace Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 15 Bishop State Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 18 Alabama Southern Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 20 Wallace State-Dothan Home 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 25 Bishop State Away 1 p.m. (DH)
Apr. 27 Pensacola Away 4 p.m. (DH)