Lady Packers look ahead after losing in first round of playoffs

Published 9:50 am Wednesday, October 28, 2020

MOULTRIE – Two days after his team had been eliminated from the state playoffs in a second-straight Game 3 loss, Colquitt County softball coach Chance Pitts was still struggling to pick up the pieces from a season that ended so abruptly.

The Lady Packers, after losing in three games in the Region 1-7A championship series the week before, were eliminated in the first round of the state playoffs when Parkview scored three runs in the seventh inning to win 3-1 at Packer Park and advance to the second round.

Pitts lamented the first-round draw that had his Lady Packers playing a Parkview team that was much better than its regular-season record indicated.

And Colquitt had to tangle with the Lady Panthers with three of its players – Jay Jay Furney, Carli Pearson and Maris Hopper – unavailable after being quarantined because of a coronavirus exposure.

And Pitts and his players were eager to meet Harrison in the second round. The Lady Hoyas have lost just twice this season and Colquitt County delivered one of them.

“You never know what can happen in softball,” he said wistfully, before adding, “But we just got beat.

“But it was a great year. If you had asked me in June if we would have made it this far, I would have said no. I would have been happy just to get through the season.”

Pitts knows there is a silver lining to the 18-12 season.

But before allowing himself to look ahead to what appears to be a bright future for the Lady Packers, he talked about the five seniors who were key parts of a team that, after all, won 18 games.

Furney went into the season knowing she would be the backup to starting catcher Madison Plymel, but accepted her role, Pitts said.

“She ran with it,” Pitts said. “She was always positive and really was a favorite among the girls.”

Maggie Rae Parker’s defensive prowess was well-known to her teammates and coaches and she put it on display again in the postseason, especially the two outstanding catches she made in the first game against Parkview, robbing Braelyn Queen and Lauren Brister of possible extra base hits.

“She was great all year,” Pitts said. “A special kid.”

The Lady Packers are losing two pitchers, including one who was the region’s Pitcher of the Year in 2019.

“She was such a big asset for us,” Pitts said of Jade Horne. “One of the most favorite girls I’ve ever coached.”

Kyla Morris, another reliable right-hander in the circle, exemplified the phrase “quiet confidence,” Pitts said.

“She was not going to blow you away,” Pitts said of Morris who was 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA this season. “She was going to make the batter put it in play. She did a great job for us.”

The Lady Packers will be hard-pressed to replace the hitting and fielding that Abby Plymel brought to the ballpark the last several years.

This year she led the Lady Packers with 39 hits and 13 doubles. Her 21 runs batted in tied for second on the team and her .386 batting average was second only to Katlynn Powers’s .396.

She closed out her career by hitting .400 in the series against Parkview.

The strong right-hand hitter will sign on Nov. 5 to continue her career at ABAC.

“They were all leaders,” Pitts said of his seniors. “They either led by voice or by example. It’s really tough to lose them.”

Despite those losses, Colquitt is well-positioned to make another run at the region title in 2021.

The team will have eight starters back next season, including pitchers Emily Allegood, who was a sophomore this year, and Maris Hopper, who was a freshman.

Allegood, who was 7-4 with 68 strikeouts and a 2.58 ERA this year as the team’s top pitcher, also started in center field when not in the circle and led the team with four home runs and drove in 21 runs.

Leadoff hitter Katlynn Powers will return after a season in which she hit .391, had 11 doubles, three homers and drove in a team high 22 runs.

Pitts also will welcome back next year catcher Madison Plymel, first baseman Morgan Holder, second baseman Carli Pearson, shortstop Jacey Wetherington, all starters this year.

Also coming back will be Julia Duncan, who was slowed by injuries late this season, but batted .325. Breannah Caldwell, Amber Brown, Elle Perryman, Laura Hailey Bryan and Kaden Sutton also are expected to return.

“Our lineup was heavy with sophomores,” Pitts said. “I think it looks good for the future.”

Next year’s schedule will include an improving Tift County program led by former Colquitt County assistant Taylor Barber, and region champion Lowndes, which has advanced to the Elite Eight this season.

The Vikettes eliminated Newton County in the first round, sweeping a doubleheader 9-0 and 11-0.

Lowndes needed three games to oust North Paulding, winning the first game 10-0, then losing 3-1.

But the Vikettes advanced with a 4-3 victory in the deciding game.