15th Region Softball

[bessie]

Softball season started Tuesday. Who do you think will be the top teams to beat?

[eddie wayne]

Same as always...

Pikeville
East Ridge
Valley

These three above anyone else...

[bessie]

Valley will be lacking this year. They lost 5 of their 7 starters and from what I hear have to replace the entire outfield and a catcher. Even if Bentley is playing her A game Valley needs people to back her up.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

7 starters?

[:)]

Pikeville will be very strong- they only lost one starter- and are all around very solid and athletic

[bessie]

9 my bad

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

er only lost 3, amanda salyers, anne floyd, and melinda ratliff. Amanda can be replaced easily, could have been replaced last year actually. Anne played short, which Jami Baldridge will play this year. She was the best hitter and short stop for the state championship ER senior league team. Courtney Conly was the cather for that team, and will be taking Melindas place. Pikeville will be really tough also, only losing their 3rd basemen, but she was their best hitter as well. It will be an all out war between these two all season long.

[phsfan3]

Pikeville only lost one player. But it should be a building year for them.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I dont know if I would call it a building year. If Pikeville wants to win region the next 5 years they better do it this year or next.

[15thRegionFan]

east ridge should have a lot of young talent right? Didn't they win state or something like that?

[Beef]

I wouldn't call it a building year for Pikeville....but with the way that it sounds...it should be between Pikeville and East Ridge all season long.....two very good teams!


I don't think that Pikeville has missed a Fast Pitch Softball Regional Championship EVER.....and I don't expect them to miss it this year eaither.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

it will be pikeville and ER in the district and regional championships, you all can take me up on that later on.

[Hurley]

I would like to see PC play pretty good with a new coach and all

[4leaf]

I agree JS

[Hurley]

i didnt know softball started sooooo soon. What dont they start later and lat it warm up a little bit

[Beef]

They start at the same time as baseball....have to start now if they want to finish before school is over..

[dirty30]

it doesnt have to be over before school it out does it?

[Beef]

No....but they don't want it to run too long into summer.....and to get all the games in you have to start now....I don't think that it's a bad thing.

[Hurley]

I would really like to see a game this year

[bessie]

Its tough when you have basketball players on the team. They have to come in later, after the team has almost been built.

Pikeville should have a great team and so should East Ridge. Even though they lost alot, I wouldn't count out Shelby Valley. They always seem to have a good team

Also, softball usually goes a week or so after school lets out depending how far you make it

Posted Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:24 pm:

Hurley, Pike Central has a good coach and continue to just get stronger and stronger. They were pretty descent last year

[Beef]

The board needs to build Central a better field....playing at Mullins right now and I went to a couple of games there last year and it SUCKS!!!!

[bessie]

True that Beef. They need to file Title 9 or whatever it is. They could get a huge facility if they tried. I heard South Laurel (I believe) filed that and they have a field that should be on ESPN. It's ridiculous how girls teams don't get anything that they deserve.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I agree the Central girls deserve a new field. They are working hard and getting better and a new field would make them feel a lot better about everything.

[sportwhiz]

Paintsville won't be very tough team wise, but they do have 2 very good players. Chelsee Jarrell will hit quite a few out this year and hit for a high average. Remember this name, Jesikah Russell. She improved more than any player last year as an 8th grader. She plays shortstop and gobbles up everything hit her way. She is taller and much stronger this year. She'll hit for a high average and just might put up some good power numbers. She's 5'7" and very strong and just a freshman, so the 15th region will have to contend with her for 4 more years :lol: :lol:

[dirty30]

Well my pick would have to be Pikeville because they return a lot of key starters...I really dont get to watch ER or SV play a lot but i know they will be right up there with Pikeville
does anyone know is PCC is going to be any good this year?

[15thRegionFan]

Haven't heard much about PCC this year, however they did get a new coach and they have some talented players. So ya never know what might happen on the hill but I dont see them contending with valley, er, and pikeville this year.

[bessie]

Pike Central is improving. They should have a decent team this year with Savannah Slone and Lindsey Weddington. Not sure who their pitcher is, but they should be alright. I also dont see them competing with Pikeville and the rest but any kind of improvement is for the better.

[SuperMario]

Central softball shouldnt be anything to see for a while lol

But, pikeville, valley, er should be the contenders this year.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

Belfry will be "ok". But with the exception of them, er, sv, and pville are the top 3 teams. Its a total shame only 2 can make region every year.

[bessie]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of having the 3 best teams in the same district.

[MCLyte]

Sorry this should not be a building year for Pikeville they lost one starter they just need to replace her.....and they could really improve on there hitting they only have maybe 2 good hitters in their lineup. They should definitly be one to dominate along with ER.

East Ridge ...however could possibly have a builing year unfortunatly. They have to replace Amanda Salyers which as someone said would not be very hard ....replacing her will either be Mariah Looney, Lucy Belcher or Kristina Burke all could fill the position well. Anne Floyd which is almost irrepacable having almost .400 or over .400 BA and fieling wise the quickest cat around....Jami Baldridge WILL be replacing her and can almost fill her shoes with a little bit more experience. Melinda Ratliff will be replaced by Courtney Conley ...no one else could catch unless they try her little sister Kaitlyn at the spot.....Courtney is very dangerous with the stick but not quite as quick as Ratliff ....Also being replaced would be Samantha Sanders ER's very awesome pitcher but Jodi Yates is a work horse and will definitly replace Sanders with a bang ...she's awesome.

Also, PCC will not be a factor in softball this year ......they were not alright last year ER beat them by 15 runs. COME ON! It would be nice for them to get a new field though .......it's really hard to play the field with the sun directly in your eyes the entire time seeings how it is right behind home plate

[BGRBABE]

There is no need to apologize. To me it is a bit of a surprise. It's possible. Where did they get them? I know a lot of people named Ann or Anne,In what way?

[bessie]

This is definitly Pikevilles year. I think Pikeville has more than 2 good hitters. They do have some nice bunters and slappers and that works well with their game.
For East Ridge..Jodie Yates is a fast pitcher just seems to get out of control at times. But they should be up there at the top def.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

who can hit besides blair conn and neely? I just have no idea because I cant remember they're whole lineup.

[hawkamania]

Pike Central is gonna be really....bad. I hate to say it, cause i love my hawks, but I was stepping in on a practice, and they have some girls that dont even know basic stuff, like turning a double play, they always want to throw it to first for some reason, even with runners on. Lets hope Im wrong.

[MCLyte]

As bad as I hate to say it ....Pikeville doesn't have more than two consistant hitters....... Blair Conn....couldn't hardly hit her way out of a paper bag and Neely couldn't either....their most consistant hitters would have to be Colvin most of the time and maybe that Schmidt girl i don't know how to spell her name or maybe one of the twins...

Take it from someone who know ;)

[MCLyte]

As bad as I hate to say it ....Pikeville doesn't have more than two consistant hitters....... Blair Conn....couldn't hardly hit her way out of a paper bag and Neely couldn't either....their most consistant hitters would have to be Colvin most of the time and maybe that Schmidt girl i don't know how to spell her name or maybe one of the twins...

Take it from someone who know ;)

[eddie wayne]

I agree, Pikeville will need to work on their hitting. Colvin is a for sure powerful hitter and she is the #1 hitter for the Panthers. Schmidt is also a very good hitter, and like Bessie said-- she's the one who has the best bunting and slapping. Coaches worked really hard with her on her slapping and bunting and she's done well. I think these 2 are the best-consistent- Pikeville has. Everyone else has a lot of room for improvement.
(maybe its has something to do with the fact that Colvin and Schmidt have played since they were 9 in BASEBALL when the Little Leauge softball was in the pits! Either way... they are the 2 best)

Pikeville lost their best hitter last year in senior Kalaiah Evans.

[bessie]

I will give Pikeville credit that their players KNOW their pitch and will for the most part only go for that pitch. Colvin, Conn and Neeley are the hitters I believe the rest are just there for the bunts. With the exception of Schmidt who can bunt, slap and hit.
Valley and Pikeville both know how to work the bunt to help them. You can bet that when both teams get a runner on you know bunts are going to come into play.
All teams around here need to practice hitting cause once you go down state, these teams are going to have problems.

[BGRBABE]

That sounds like a plan. No I don't think I can do bet that when both teams get a runner on you know bunts are going to come into play. That is a rather sweeping generalization.

[monica]

sv has no outfield right now unless they're some surprise girl no one knows about.....

i'm going with pikeville

[cherokeepride]

ER could be a big contender in the 15th region if they would pull it together and actually play as a team. The talent has been there the last 2 years but they didnt make it out of their district either year because some starters on that team lack what wins the game...HEART!!!

[belle a ball]

I agree 100% with you Cherokee pride!

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

if the seniors; Tiffany Coleman, Savannah Adkins, Samantha Coleman, Whitney Lawson, Heather Mitchell, and Paige Johnson play with heart then ER will dominate.

[sportslover]

Sorry Jesus Shuttlesworth, but Paige Johnson doesn't play softball. But if she did I bet she would have heart like the team needs...

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

opps my bad.

[cherokeepride]

Adkins will stay at 2nd..she has played there 2 years they wont move her now..Baldridge will be short,she will be great if she can relax and get a little more experience on varsity...they need to get somone else on first, nothin bad about Coleman, there are just players that could do a better job on the field but Colemans pretty good at bat.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

yeah she had the highest batting average on the team last year.
she is being molded into a true first basemen as we speak, she always played second and pitched until 2003.

[cherokeepride]

Are you sure she had the highest batting average last year? I dont think so..

[bessie]

Pikeville and Valley scrimmaged Thursday with Valley on top 2-1 in 5 innings. Valley really hit the ball well. Both Gooch and Bentley stronger than ever. I look for both teams to have great seasons.

[armchairQB]

After valleys win (7-2) over east ridge fri. nite, and there win over pikeville---scrimmage. Rank your top 5 teams.

1. pikeville
2. valley
3. J C
4. belfry
5. E R

[bessie]

1. pikeville -they are always ready when it matters. strong pitching and gooch has some great gloves behind her.
2. valley - still young, will continue to get better as the year goes on. hitting is coming around.
east ridge hasn't impressed me at all as of late.

can't say much. those are the only 3 teams that i have seen play this season.