The mind-set has changed at Pickens Academy.
In the four years Wade Goodman has coached the school’s fast-pitch softball team, he has seen players improve and build confidence to push the program to greater heights. This season, the Lady Pirates took another step forward by finishing as the runner-up in the Alabama Independent Schools Association Class AA State tournament.
Even though Pickens Academy failed to beat eventual champion Marengo Academy, Goodman said his team showed determination and maturity en route to a 23-9 finish.
“We had a good ballteam and we felt we could do it,” said Goodman, who also coached the school’s girls basketball team. “It was not unexpected for us, but nobody had seen Pickens Academy do that in fast-pitch softball, so it was kind of unexpected for the fans.”
Pickens Academy defeated Edgewood Academy in its first game at the state tournament. It then lost to Marengo Academy in the double-elimination event and regrouped to beat Lakeside before eventually falling again to Marengo.
Goodman said the Lady Pirates still have the bad habit of making uncharacteristic mistakes against Marengo Academy. He said eliminating those mistakes, which he feels the team makes partially due to nerves, will help it take the next step and beat its longtime nemesis.
Goodman pointed back to the regular season when Pickens Academy went on the road to win two games in one day due to rainouts. He said allowing only two runs that day in the last inning of the second game propelled his team on to the state tournament.
“We knew if we could make it to that next day that would give us an advantage over the other teams because we had two pitchers,” Goodman said.
Former Macon Central Academy Marion Colvin and Kacy Noland shared pitching duties. Colvin was 14-8 with a 2.00 ERA< while Noland was 7-1 with a 2.80 ERA. "Marion hits her spots real well and is a fighter," Goodman said. "Kacy is a good ballplayer. They definitely carried us through." Senior Corey Dawkins, another former standout at Macon Central Academy, provided solid all-around play at catcher. Dawkins, who will play softball at East Mississippi Community College in the fall, hit .451 this season and was named to the AISA All-Tournament team with Colvin and Noland. "We are very proud of their accomplishments," Pickens Academy Athletic Director Brach White said. "This group of young ladies is very talented academically and athletically. We appreciate the effort the team and coaches put into their practices and games. We are pleased with the outcome. PA fans look forward to watching them succeed again next year." Colvin, Whitney Lowe, and Goodman were selected to participate in the AISA Junior All-Star game at 5 p.m. June 5 at Patterson Field in Montgomery, Ala. Dawkins will play in the AISA Senior All-Star game at 6:30 p.m. June 5. Colvin is the daughter of George and Pam Colvin of Macon. Lowe is the daughter of Freddie and Ladonna Lowe, of Carrollton, Ala., and Dawkins is the daughter of Pres and Pam Dawkins of Brooksville. Goodman said it will be a challenge to replace players like Dawkins and Audrey Cochrane, but he feels the softball program is growing. He said more players are interested in playing travel softball, which is key to seeing better competition and to improving skills for the following season. He said four players will play travel ball in the offseason and that he hopes to get more involved. "We're getting closer and closer," Goodman said of increasing his offseason participation. "We're getting some maybes instead of the no, nos that we got last year." Goodman said winning has affected that change. He said it is easier for players to make a bigger commitment when they see the results of their hard work and they realize a bigger commitment will make it easier for teams to accomplish even more. Goodman hopes that is the case for the 2012-13 season. "We expect to do really well from here on out," Goodman said. "It is kind of a mind-set that finally we have earned it and we are supposed to be good now. When we started four years ago, it was like the girls felt we were supposed to lose. Now they feel like we're supposed to win. ... The girls have bought in, and now they have to do the work from here to next year to get better." n In related news, Joel Pratt was selected to play in the AISA Junior All-Star game. Pratt, the son of Jack and Megan Pratt, of Carrollton, Ala., will play at 4 p.m. June 4 at Patterson Field in Montgomery.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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