Packer softball wants 20 wins, region, state top 8

Published 7:45 pm Tuesday, July 25, 2017

MOULTRIE – Softball in Colquitt County is growing and developing at a rate that someday, at the high school level, the Packer varsity program should achieve everything on its wish list: a 20-win season, a Region 1-7A championship and a run in the GHSA tournament that ends in Columbus.

Why not do all of that in the fall of 2017?

It won’t be long before softball fans find out what Colquitt County High softball will do in the new season, for it begins with a scrimmage at Fitzgerald on Aug. 3, the first regular season game in Adel on Aug. 4 and the first contest at Packer Park against Bainbridge on Aug. 8.

Chance Pitts begins his second season as the varsity head coach, and in his rookie year Colquitt softball earned one first-time accomplishment by placing second in Region 1-7A and hosting the first round of the state playoffs. That’s as far as that team would go as North Cobb visited Moultrie and left with a two-game sweep. When looking at the recently graduated seniors, Pitts found himself replacing arguably the three most important positions on the diamond: pitcher, catcher and first base.

There is, however, a core of experience returning, and Pitts will use that to fill in the receiver spot behind the plate. His main offensive weapon has much to play for as she missed the 2016 postseason with a major knee injury, and she’s committed to where she wants to play at the next level. The Packer pitching staff is also growing.

For the summer, Colquitt County played in four tournaments including one in Moultrie with almost 20 games total. Even Pitts’ junior varsity squad got in 12 games of action. Sometimes they are inside the batting cage with all of the rain; sometimes conditions let them work outside.

The front-line pitcher of 2016 was lefty Dakota Baker, who signed to play at Brewton-Parker. Kelli Johnson worked a lot of innings as a sophomore, and for now-senior Bailey Howard it’s been a long battle through injuries to find time in the circle.

“It hurts losing Dakota,” said Pitts. “She was a big workhorse for us. (Howard) has been looking good this summer … especially in the Vereen Tournament. She has been working around a couple of arm injuries. (Johnson) is vying for a starting role, and I have two freshmen who have stepped up. That’s Kylie Davis and Abby Plymel. Both have done well in the field and swinging the bat.

“You have four pitchers, and you can never have enough in fastpitch softball.”

Paris Sumner was the Packer catcher and Sydney Dalton the first baseman who ended their high school careers. For catcher, Pitts is taking utility girl Mary Logan Tostenson and giving her the job full time.

“She’s going to get the job done,” said Pitts. “I believe in Mary Logan and what she does. She got to learn from Paris, and now it’s her time.”

There was also one other senior starter now departed, infielder Ashley Spradley.

“The core we have coming back, we have four seniors,” said Pitts, who already mentioned Howard and Tostenson. “Gracie Frazier will be a mainstay in our outfield and hitting in the top of the order. She’s coming back off her ACL injury, and there is nobody who works harder than Gracie Frazier. I have coached four different sports, and I’ve never had an athlete work harder on and off the field to get better. She’s healthy now and ready to go.”

And, according to the coach, she recently committed to Eastern Kentucky.

The fourth senior is another utility infielder, Paige Vaughn, who can go from third base to shortstop.

“The good thing is, I’ve got a lot of mixture,” said Pitts. “A couple of (freshmen), four or five sophomores, four or five juniors and four seniors. This summer, the main thing I noticed is they all gelled together.”

Colquitt will get another look this season at North Cobb not to mention Harrison and Roswell at the Allatoona Buc Bash in Cobb County in late August. The schedule also includes Thomas County-Central, Lee County and North Cobb coming to Moultrie Labor Day weekend. That’s before region play, where a definitive favorite to go a long way in 7A, Lowndes, will be waiting to host the Packers Sept. 21.

“We always tried to schedule great teams,” said Pitts. “We get to see the upper echelon of softball. That’s who you run into in the playoffs.

“Our region doesn’t get any easier. I think (Camden) is bringing a lot of players back. I got to see Tift at the Vereen Tournament, and they are getting better. Lowndes, I think they graduated one senior. Everybody will be shooting for them for sure.

“We’re striving for a region championship, to get that home playoff seed. We want to go to (the Elite 8 in) Columbus. I sat down with the seniors and said, ’Now’s the time. Let’s do it.’ It would be special to get there.”