Lady ‘Blazers Topple Crockett, Ready For Another Post-Season Run
Daniel Boone’s senior class already boasts an overall 128-38 record with three conference championships, two district tournament titles, three regional titles and three state tournament appearances that culminated in a third-place finish two years ago and a state runner-up trophy last season.
And this year’s postseason for Anna Richardson, Sadie Henson, Josie Jenkins and Kyleigh Bacon and company doesn’t begin until Friday.
“It’s a special group,” said coach Jeremy Jenkins. “They have been a special group since the day they walked on campus. They have touched this school and put an imprint on this school and wherever they go, they are going to be successful.”
Already having secured the top seed going into the District 1-AAAA Tournament, the Lady ‘Blazers (21-10) started the final week of the season with a gritty 3-1 Senior Night victory over rival David Crockett.
“It didn’t go easy,” Jenkins said. “I don’t think we hit a ball hard the whole game.”
The Lady ‘’Blazers did find enough holes to scratch out three first-inning runs off Lady Pioneer pitcher Madelyn Dulaney.
“That’s a really good club and as good a young pitcher as we are going to see,” noted Jenkins. “She (Dulaney) does a good job moving it around, up and down, in and out, hitting her spots.”
Riley Croley was hit by a pitch and Josie Jenkins walked to open the inning. Two outs later, Richardson’s blooper found a hole in short right-center to score both.
After Richardson had moved to second on a throw to the plate, Sadie Henson’s infield hit allowed Richardson to score.
From there, pitching and defense took over for the ‘Blazers.
“We only had five hits and just three after the first inning,” Jenkins said. “But good teams find ways to win this time of year. I thought we pitched it well enough. We made a couple of errors, but also made some plays in the field.”
Crockett’s only run came in the fourth. Julie Maupin led off with a double, stole third and scored when the Boone through to the bag got through.
In the sixth, the Pioneers put runners on the corners with one out, bringing Ava Saul back to the circle, but out of rotation.
“It was a gut feeling to bring Ava back in there, she was kind of feeling it a little bit,” explained Jenkins.
After a pop out, courtesy runner Natalie Dunbar, representing the tying run, was thrown out trying to steal second by Bacon.
The seventh saw Dulaney draw a two-out walk and move to second on a passed ball. Dulaney, however, was thrown out trying to score from second on a Laney Britton single by freshman left-fielder Sadie Phillips.
“Sadie has gotten better every day and you are not throwing out somebody who can’t run,” said Jenkins.
Crockett coach Alex Dulaney said it was a tough way to lose.
“I told the girls that one was on me,” said Dulaney. “We took a chance there and it didn’t work out.
“We played great the last half of the game. We did not give up runs on hard-hit balls. It was just little bloops that just found holes.”
Saul was in the circle when Boone scored its three runs and therefore gets credit for the win. She also recorded the final five outs in relief.
“You can’t save your own win, but that’s what she did,” smiled Jenkins.
Croley collected two of Boone’s five hits and Richardson drove in two of the three runs.
“I’ve been in a little bit of a slump, so it was good to contribute to the team,” said Richardson, one of the team’s four seniors. “I don’t know that I’m ready to give it up quite yet.
It’s sad because we’ve played over a decade together and I just don’t want to let it go yet.”
“I love this…I’m not ready to give it up yet either. I never will be,” added Henson.
Each of the four seniors collected a flask of dirt or grass from their respective positions, a tradition started during the group’s trek to the Little League Softball World Series.
“When we went to Warner-Robbins (Georgia) this group started that and we did that in all the places that we went,” explained Josie Jenkins. “So that was really a bittersweet moment because I’ve played with all these girls since I was seven years old. I feel like they are the best teammates.”
David Crockett – Madelyn Dulaney and Bailey Dugger. Daniel Boone – Ava Saul, Kaylea Osborne (2), Ava Saul (3), Kaylea Osborne (4), Ava Saul (5), Kaylea Osborne (6), Ava Saul (6) and McKenzie Strouth, Kyleigh Bacon (2), McKenzie Strouth (3), Kyleigh Bacon (4), McKenzie Strouth (5), Kyleigh Bacon (6). W – Ava Saul, L – Madelyn Dulaney. 2B – Julie Maupin, David Crockett; Riley Croley, Daniel Boone. RBI – Anna Richardson, Daniel Boone 2; Sadie Henson, Daniel Boone. SB – Chelsea Williams, David Crockett; Molly Davis, David Crockett; Sadie Henson, Daniel Boone 2; Riley Croley, Daniel Boone 2.
And this year’s postseason for Anna Richardson, Sadie Henson, Josie Jenkins and Kyleigh Bacon and company doesn’t begin until Friday.
“It’s a special group,” said coach Jeremy Jenkins. “They have been a special group since the day they walked on campus. They have touched this school and put an imprint on this school and wherever they go, they are going to be successful.”
Already having secured the top seed going into the District 1-AAAA Tournament, the Lady ‘Blazers (21-10) started the final week of the season with a gritty 3-1 Senior Night victory over rival David Crockett.
“It didn’t go easy,” Jenkins said. “I don’t think we hit a ball hard the whole game.”
The Lady ‘’Blazers did find enough holes to scratch out three first-inning runs off Lady Pioneer pitcher Madelyn Dulaney.
“That’s a really good club and as good a young pitcher as we are going to see,” noted Jenkins. “She (Dulaney) does a good job moving it around, up and down, in and out, hitting her spots.”
Riley Croley was hit by a pitch and Josie Jenkins walked to open the inning. Two outs later, Richardson’s blooper found a hole in short right-center to score both.
After Richardson had moved to second on a throw to the plate, Sadie Henson’s infield hit allowed Richardson to score.
From there, pitching and defense took over for the ‘Blazers.
“We only had five hits and just three after the first inning,” Jenkins said. “But good teams find ways to win this time of year. I thought we pitched it well enough. We made a couple of errors, but also made some plays in the field.”
Crockett’s only run came in the fourth. Julie Maupin led off with a double, stole third and scored when the Boone through to the bag got through.
In the sixth, the Pioneers put runners on the corners with one out, bringing Ava Saul back to the circle, but out of rotation.
“It was a gut feeling to bring Ava back in there, she was kind of feeling it a little bit,” explained Jenkins.
After a pop out, courtesy runner Natalie Dunbar, representing the tying run, was thrown out trying to steal second by Bacon.
The seventh saw Dulaney draw a two-out walk and move to second on a passed ball. Dulaney, however, was thrown out trying to score from second on a Laney Britton single by freshman left-fielder Sadie Phillips.
“Sadie has gotten better every day and you are not throwing out somebody who can’t run,” said Jenkins.
Crockett coach Alex Dulaney said it was a tough way to lose.
“I told the girls that one was on me,” said Dulaney. “We took a chance there and it didn’t work out.
“We played great the last half of the game. We did not give up runs on hard-hit balls. It was just little bloops that just found holes.”
Saul was in the circle when Boone scored its three runs and therefore gets credit for the win. She also recorded the final five outs in relief.
“You can’t save your own win, but that’s what she did,” smiled Jenkins.
Croley collected two of Boone’s five hits and Richardson drove in two of the three runs.
“I’ve been in a little bit of a slump, so it was good to contribute to the team,” said Richardson, one of the team’s four seniors. “I don’t know that I’m ready to give it up quite yet.
It’s sad because we’ve played over a decade together and I just don’t want to let it go yet.”
“I love this…I’m not ready to give it up yet either. I never will be,” added Henson.
Each of the four seniors collected a flask of dirt or grass from their respective positions, a tradition started during the group’s trek to the Little League Softball World Series.
“When we went to Warner-Robbins (Georgia) this group started that and we did that in all the places that we went,” explained Josie Jenkins. “So that was really a bittersweet moment because I’ve played with all these girls since I was seven years old. I feel like they are the best teammates.”
David Crockett | 000 | 100 | 0 | -- | 1 | 6 | 1 |
Daniel Boone | 300 | 000 | x | -- | 3 | 5 | 2 |
David Crockett – Madelyn Dulaney and Bailey Dugger. Daniel Boone – Ava Saul, Kaylea Osborne (2), Ava Saul (3), Kaylea Osborne (4), Ava Saul (5), Kaylea Osborne (6), Ava Saul (6) and McKenzie Strouth, Kyleigh Bacon (2), McKenzie Strouth (3), Kyleigh Bacon (4), McKenzie Strouth (5), Kyleigh Bacon (6). W – Ava Saul, L – Madelyn Dulaney. 2B – Julie Maupin, David Crockett; Riley Croley, Daniel Boone. RBI – Anna Richardson, Daniel Boone 2; Sadie Henson, Daniel Boone. SB – Chelsea Williams, David Crockett; Molly Davis, David Crockett; Sadie Henson, Daniel Boone 2; Riley Croley, Daniel Boone 2.
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