Currently owning a 14-8, 2-2 record as they head into a brief break from softball action, the Indianola Academy Lady Colonels not only picked up a District 1AAA victory on Tuesday, but also earned a first place trophy in last Saturday’s Deer Creek School Tournament.
Other recent action occurred Monday and a district battle with visiting Bayou Academy of Cleveland resulted in a 14-3 loss; however, the Lady Colonels rebounded one day later with their own 14-3 road victory over North Delta School in Batesville.
With this busy week now behind them, it will be August 25 before the IA squad takes the field again. At that time they will participate in the Sharkey-Issaquena Academy Tournament in Rolling Fork.
In their recent 11 run win over North Delta School, the Lady Colonels used seven batters to hammer their 13 hits in the contest. Meanwhile, Katie Ann Page picked up the win in the pitcher’s circle as she only allowed six hits to the Green Wave.
The IA hitting attack was led by Mary Linton Davis’ double and pair of singles while Jill Roberts (double and single) and Malory Price (double) added their own extra base hits. Also stroking multiple base hits were Presley Jackson, Lily Putnam, and Anna Grace Rowland.
In last Saturday’s tournament winning action in Arcola, the Lady Colonels claimed their trophy with a 5-2 title-game victory over Briarfield Academy of Lake Providence, Louisiana.
In doing so, the IA squad received a gritty pitching performance from Roberts, solid defense, and a grand slam home run from Anna Berry Stevens to pull out the victory over the strong Lady Rebels squad.
Down by a 1-0 margin, the Lady Colonels would ultimately score all of their runs in the fifth frame.
With a rally which began with walks to Putnam and Jackson, it was Rowland who would then send a single to short right field to load the bases.
Mary Grace Beckham then sent a single up the middle which scored Putnam to knot the score while also leaving the bases full.
Two batters later while facing a one ball, two strike count, Stevens then fouled off two additional pitches before lifting the next offering over the leftfield fence to give IA a commanding 5-1 lead.
Although Briarfield Academy added one run in the bottom of that same inning, Roberts would shut the scoring door on the Lady Rebels the remainder of the game to earn the victory.
In route to earning her victory in the pitcher’s circle, Roberts scattered 13 Briarfield Academy hits while fanning eight batters and giving up zero walks.
At the plate, IA’s six hit attack was led by Stevens’ grand slam and Rowland’s pair of singles.
The Lady Colonels reached the championship game despite opening their tournament play with a 4-3 extra inning loss to that same Briarfield Academy team.
However, Head Coach Patrick Davis’ squad later answered with a 12-0 win over Greenville St. Joseph High, a margin of victory which helped send the IA squad into the championship game.
Page’s pitching limited St. Joe to only a pair of last inning singles en route to earning her four inning shutout of the St. Joe squad.
At the plate in this first pair of tournament games, Price hammered a pair of doubles and singles while Davis added a triple to IA’s hitting attack.
