Suwannee fast-pitch softball got off to a rough star,t losing its first four games of the season. According to Assistant Coach Jan Schenck, Head Softball Coach Jeff Smith is ready to start anew. The team has a lot of talent with strong pitching from junior Katie Smith and sophomore Lea Schenck. Five returning players are there to back up the tough pitching.



“We have added some quality players to fill out the rest of the positions,” Schenck said. “Our roster is looking very good this year.”



Softball started the week of Jan. 19 with try-outs. Over 30 Suwannee girls tried out for the varsity and JV teams.



Because of soccer, eight varsity players did not practice for the beginning of the season. The JV squad was missing five players, three form soccer, one from men’s soccer and one from basketball. The JV team was even missing its head coach, Frank Johnson, due to the rampant success of the district champion men’s soccer team this year.



The team was finally together for the first pre-season game and had one practice as a team before that game.



The first game of the year was against Lake City. The game was supposed to be played in Columbia County but because of all the rain and field conditions, the game was at Suwannee. Two games were scheduled, but only one took place because the rain just wouldn’t let up.



For the first official game of the season, the Lady Dogs traveled to Ft. White on Monday, Feb. 16. Then both teams traveled to Baker County on Tuesday, Feb.. 17 and then played Keystone on that Friday. All together, the girls had managed to put in two days of practice as an entire team when they faced the Keystone team. It was a tough week for the players.



The JV won one of the games out of the three but the varsity lost all three.



Smith knew the first week would be a struggle. The Ft. White game was close. The score was 2-3. Lea Schenck had the only hit of the game.



At Baker, the Lady Dogs had one terrible inning, the first inning. Baker scored all their runs in that disastrous inning. But Suwannee’s hitters did better. Katie Smith had a solo home run, Schenck doubled and singled. George Foster and Stephanie Hett each singled. Kate Townsend and Jenna Jordan both bunted for hits.



But in the first home game of the season, the Keystone pitching staff shut down Suwannee’s offense. Jordan got the only hit of the night, a single.



After this tough week of games in really dreadful weather the team is looking for a fresh start. Check out the girls’ schedule and be a part of their exciting season. Go Lady Dogs!



Janet Schrader may be reached by calling 1/386/362-1734 ext. 132 or by e-mail at janet.schrader@gaflnews.com.