2015

WEEKOF ~~\'----'v~l----={_ 1 _._~~-

ECCC Lady Warriors are young but talented from staffreports

hailed as "Cancer Awareness Day." The team will wear pink jerseys and cancer survivor and longtime Lady Warrior softball supporter Roger Whitlock will throw out the first pitch. One of the team goals is to qualify to host a first round play– off game. In order to do that, the Lady Warriors have to finish in the top two slots in division play. '1bis group of young ladies is very competitive. They are a very close-knit group and are hungry for championships. We expect this team to represent EC softball and uphold the tradition for which the Lady Warriors are known." Only four sophomores return from the 2014 team, which dropped a best-of-three series with Itawamba Community College during first-round play– offs and completed the season with a 33-16 overall record. Mallory Turner, who played left field during her freshman sea– son, will shift to third base and continue to be the leadoff hitter this season. She was the recipient ofthe Lady Warriors' 2014 Hustle Award. Former right fielder Anna Katherine Nowell will take over \

duties at first base and Karoline Holsonback will handle the majority of time at catcher. Nowell was an All-State and All– District player at Leake Academy and Holsonback is a product of South Lamar High School in Kennedy, Ala., where she was named West Alabama Most Outstanding Player. Christen Benson, an AU– District selection from BrookhavenHighSchool, will see playing time in the outfield. Freshmen and their respective high schools include pitchers Hannah Hassell., Lacey Hill and Chloe Thaggard, Leake Academy; catchers Andi Hannaford, and Cayla Myers; jnfielders Rachel Davis; Maegen Ellis Mahalia Gibson, and Mallory Lee, and outfielders Caitlyn Aldous, Katlyn Duke, Neshoba Central; and Summer Lavender. "Each one of these young ladies will contribute to our suc– cess," Chaney said. "Ellis, Gibson and Lee will hold down the mid– dle.All four ofour pitchers will be freshmen, but each is talented enough to carry that role. Thaggard and Hill will handle most of the pitching duties. We will have three freshmen in the outfield as well."

Hassell was named to the AlabamaSoftballTopTen. was an All-State and All-County selec– tion and chosen Most Valuable Player. Hill was selected Offensive Player of the Year and was named Most Valuable Player and All– District. Thaggard was selected Most Valuable Player. Team Captain andAll-Star. Hannaford, an All-State and All-Conference selection, served as TeamCaptain and was named to the All-Star Team. Duke was anAll-State andAll– District selection and was chosen Best Defensive Player. Fans who attend Lady Warrior home games will also notice a new locker room, which was completed last summer. . Student managers are Justin Moore and John Davis, both of LeakeAcademy; Abigail McCool of Winston Academy; and Skyler Simmons,Bob Jones High School in Madison

Lots of new faces will take the field for East Central Community College during the 2015 fast-pitch softball campaign, but head coach Kristin Chaney, who begins her third season leading the Lady Diamond Warriors, is confident the team will be successful. 'This year's team will be very young, but very talented,"Chaney said. "I expect us to compete in every game and give ourselves a shot to win." The Lady Warriors begin the new season Wednesday, Feb. 4, against Alabama Southern College with doubleheader action beginning at l p.m. on the Monroeville, Ala., campus. The home opener is scheduled for l p.m. Saturday, February 7 against Holmes Community College. Special activities are planned including a Drawdown Fundraiser. Tickets for the Drawdown are available from any Lady Warrior player or coach. Winners will be drawn on game day and those pur– chasing a ticket will receive a free hamburger and drink. Opening Day is also being

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NESHOBA DEMOCRAT I ------ SCOTT COUNTY TIMES ------ WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL --- CLARION-LEDGER------

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