At the state softball tournament Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Alabaster, the Jefferson Davis Community College Lady Warhawk softball team went 1-2 to end their season with a 17-39 record.
On Friday, JDCC opened with a 10-2 loss to Central Alabama to fall into the loser’s bracket. From there, JDCC fought off elimination with a 2-1 win over Alabama Southern. After games were cancelled Saturday due to weather in the area, JDCC lost on Sunday to Calhoun 5-0 to see their season end.
JDCC came out attacking against Central Alabama Friday with a solo homerun by Paige Odom in the first inning and a solo homerun in the second by Kayla Watson. From there, the JDCC pitching staff could not keep CACC hitters off balance and could not find the officials strike zone.
Jessica Swindle took the loss only going 1/3 of an inning. Swindle walked four, allowed two hits, and five runs with three being earned.
Breanna Hall came in in relief and went 3 2/3 innings and allowed two walks, six hits, struck out one and allowed five runs with four earned.
At the plate, Odom was 1-for-3 with a homerun and one RBI and Watson was 1-for-1 with a homerun and one RBI. Jennifer Fisher was 1-for-3 along with Sarah Beth Watkins.
In game two, in the loser’s bracket game, JDCC kept focus and used two sacrifice flies to get two runs in back to back innings to get a conference rival win to stay alive in the tournament.
Elissa Kelly threw her second complete game of the year only giving up three hits and Watson had an amazing defensive game at third base.
After ASCC scored one run in the first inning and JDCC went scoreless until the sixth inning, Watkins led off with a shot to left center gap that was mishandled for a double. Courtney Lowery then sacrifice bunted Watkins to third base and Odom scored Watkins on a sacrifice fly to Left field in foul territory to tie the game at 1-1.
In the top of the seventh, Watson singled up the middle and Fisher put down a sac bunt that was thrown away to get pinch runner Dymon Coachman to third. Morgan Agerton then scored Coachman on another sacrifice to right field to go ahead 2-1.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Watson made two diving plays at third for outs and Rachel Seitz had the last assist at short stop across the diamond to Fisher at first for the win.
Kelly went seven innings and allowed three hits, one unearned run, walked and struck out one.
At the plate, Watson was 1-for-3 and Fisher was 1-for-2. Agerton and Odom had one RBI each.
On Sunday, JDCC lost to Calhoun 5-0.
JDCC had two hits with Laura Zeegers having a hit in the second and Watkins having one in the sixth.
Calhoun scored one run in the third, three in the fourth and one in the sixth to get the win.
Kelly took the loss going four innings. Kelly allowed five hits, walked two, allowed four runs with two earned. Hall pitched in relief going three innings giving up two hits, walked one and struck out five.
“Calhoun’s pitcher did an outstanding job only giving up one hit and one walk,” JDCC head coach Misti Nims said. “It was an almost a near perfect game for her. Sarah Beth Watkins broke up the no hitter in the bottom of the sixth and in the bottom of the seventh Jennifer Fisher drew a walk. We had hard shots to the field but could not get anything through. It was a great effort by our team and I am proud of everything we have accomplished this season. We had four first team all-conference members: Kayla Watson, Breanna Hall, Laura Zeegers, and Sarah Beth Watkins. We also had three second team all-conference members: Paige Odom, Morgan Agerton, and Jennifer Fisher. We also have three or four girls that may move on to play next year.”