Lady Knights look for spot in tourney
By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Aug. 15, 2002
Most softball teams would have been thrilled with a 34-6 record.
That's not the case with West Lauderdale, which finished in a tie for third in the state in Class 3A in 2001.That's not the case with West Lauderdale, which finished in a tie for third in the state in Class 3A in 2001.
That's the price you pay for a tradition that includes five state slow-pitch championships (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000) and three state runner-up finishes (1992, 1995, 1998).
"We were disappointed," West head coach Jerry Boatner said. "That's the first time we didn't play for state in a while. A lot of that had to do with how they changed the format."
Instead of the traditional four-team double-elimination state tournament, last year's format was a best-of-three series all the way through the playoffs.
Eventual Class 3A state champion Newton County swept the Lady Knights 7-1 and 9-1 for the South State title.
"I thought we were the best two teams in the state," Boatner said of West and Newton County. "They'll be the team to beat again this year."
West lost four seniors off the 2001 team. Gone are pitcher Jessica Ethridge (.475, 21 RBIs), first baseman Brittany Mosley (.380, 21 RBIs), left-center fielder Hayley Scarborough (.534, 11 2b, 4 3b, 8 HR, 47 RBIs), and shortstop Amber Joyner (.433, 4 2b, 5 3b, 16 RBIs).
Returning for 2002 are senior second baseman Amy Frazier, senior third baseman J.J. Huggins, senior pitcher Kristina Gardner, senior left-center fielder Courtney Godwin, sophomore catcher Emily Jo Havard, and junior right-center fielder Brook Bounds.
Huggins batted .559 a year ago with 11 doubles, 16 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 26 walks, most of which were intentional.
Frazier opened the 2001 playoffs going 14-for-14 and finished the year batting a team-high .582 with 14 doubles, eight triples, four homers, and 57 RBIs.
Gardner, who moves from right-center to the mound this fall, batted .427 with six doubles, six homers and 32 RBI. Godwin hit .410 with nine doubles, nine triples, and 38 RBIs. Havard batted .458 with seven doubles and 29 RBI, while Bounds batted .392 with seven doubles and 17 RBI.
"Kristina pitched some last year in the varsity games and she pitched the B-team games. She's going to do a good job," Boatner said.
Newcomers in the starting lineup are sophomore Jessica Moore in right field, junior Kirby Rutledge in left field, and freshman Holly Herrington at shortstop, with junior Katie Moulds (.395) and freshman Sommer Jones seeing time at first base.
Rutledge batted .563 in B-team action, while Jones hit .444.
"I think our first five batters are going to be about as good as anybody's," Boatner said of Huggins, Gardner, Frazier, Godwin, and Havard. "I don't imagine they'll pitch to J.J. again this year and Amy was our leading hitter last year. Courtney can hit the ball hard and she runs like a jack rabbit.
"I don't know how those new girls are going to play. They've never proven they can hit. Defensively, they'll be all right."
West competes in Division 5-3A with Newton County, Philadelphia, Southeast Lauderdale, Carthage, Choctaw Central, and Heidelberg.
"Newton County is definitely the team to beat," Boatner said. "They're going to be hard to handle. The thing is we're both good and somebody is going to win. We've played each other three or four times for the state championship."
