2011

.al countaown looms tor . l Alexander and:Buckley By Marty Stamper Appeal Sports Editor EC. We've been together for a while."

shared the joys of suc·c•cs$. H's pretty neat," said Justin Chaney, who c·oach€'d thq two when they wm·e nine year$ old, then later when they ~vcr·e members of the Newton County High School tenm$. "We've played together since we were slx,'' Alexander . recalled. "Maybe even before then at Beulah Hubbard," added Buekley. "We f..'ICW up playing together and then we played "ith the Diamond Girls, and then Newton County, nnd now

And all along the way. the duo have .bad {,"t'Cat SUC'CCSS, both team-wise and individuall.v. "We played with the Diamond Girls and . went to Louisiana to a World Series and went to a couple other World Series,'' said Alexander. "That's when I played seeond base and she played shortstop. "In high school, they moved me to the out(ield. but we grew Continued on 6B... Sec Final... VI \J Z ct w (J - ~ z tn 3: (J

East Central Community C olh::ge sophomores Kasie Buckley • and Summer \lexan.der weren't nround when the game of soft ball was invented, but the two have def– initely been teammates for an awful lot of games. "There's no telling how many games those two have played together and how many times they\·c cri(•d together and how many times the.v . .... .... ._ .., u '-'•• .1 •u vu t.ut•

Long-time teammates Kasie Buckley (left) and Summer Alexander take to the diamond together for the final time ;this weekend in the NJ CAA Division II national tourna– ment ln Normal, lli. The two began playing softball toge ther when they were six. s ~1na1 ... Photo by Mart,1; Stamp!_!!

foul'th nationally. Buckley, who

field," Buckley said. "It's going to be really weird not playing with her the next two years. "That saddens me." And that's why a long t'ttn in the th,·ce-day tour– nament would make the final chapter of the two's car eer som<'thing to always remember . "It's one thing to get lo the national tournament once, but it's even g~·eater to go twice and just h'Y to win it the second time around," said Alexander. "We got fourth last year and we're real exeitP.d about going. 'Tm JH'<'lty post I ivt' t hnt it 's llw last lintt• Wt' II t'\C't' pin~ to~'~'~ hc·r Hll IHIJH'Iu lb,. \W II clu 11111 ltPt I \\'t ! j, 1111'' lit I I , , ft tl\'1' II j'lllll l I'll 1111'1 ul \\iuul u1• tid llu1 lit\ " (l'i lctlt;nl '1 ''\ lnt li t tilt~~ will J!hl' Uti II I h .1111 I ' f:, \\Ill II \\I \ I I l•nt l 1(111 '" 11•1 • II plt \111~: IIII I' d l•lntt ,h f\tltl ,1 tt I ltililttH t• Ill !Itt ..... _ ... _ ... _ -

Continued from 5B... up playing that way." Even wh<'n the two wet·e only nine, Chancy said h<' knew they wer e something special. "No doubl," Chaney said. "I guess it goes back to th<'il' softball awar<.'ness and their soft– ball IQ. Thai and just their hr art. Those two love to play softball. "You put those togeth– E't' and it's quite a <'Ombi– nation. "I always compared LIH•m to my s is te r (1\ l'i slin) ht•t•nusc• slw '"' llkt• Ihnl wlwn shl.' Wllk Ihut YOIIIIff I thoug-ht lf11 \ hntf II l'fiiiiiC't' I II ht' Ihut l'nnd \litH' WIII II IIIH ll\' 1! llllii I illlll (tlllll hll' llht llil itt ""' p ll llt " "" 1 wn 111 1 1 lp 111 It 1 t1 N!IW it• ll c',.uttl' flu lwo ro••l iuw•d 1 h1•ll 1 111 "''rl II 1\1'1~~' · 1\ 11 ' " lllllt II !li tW Wtllll (lll t'l Ill lltt l 1.1\il\' \\'ht'llllt'fl It 1111 llt lll ... - - . - - ~- - _ _. L:}~i l _~ ~- lit'ilHII

has the

wi th

signed

University West FlOJ'ida, was named the Most Valuable Offensive Playci' in last year·'s national tournament. In the 2010 nationals, Buckley batted .636 with three home run s, one double, three singles, and seven RBI in five games. Buckley is currently batting .368 with 10 dou– bles. eight home run s. and 34 RBI and has scored 30 r·uns. " l

...I ~ w

Q. Q. ~ z

z ~ ~ a; ~ :::;) a; ~ - 0 0 1- ~ 0 :! tn C> z ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ li: ffi 0 )! (/)

z a

~ ~