Lady Cougars Begin New Season
Coach Danny Camp’s Lady Cougars began play in a tournament hosted by Gatewood last weekend. Piedmont finished as the tournament runner-up after falling to host Gatewood 2-1 in nine innings in the championship game. In addition to the Lady Cougars and the host Gatewood Lady Gators, Nathanael Greene and Briarwood also competed in the event.
Piedmont defeated Briarwood in its first tournament contest 8-0 while Gatewood defeated Nathanael Greene to advance to the finals.
In the championship contest, the two teams were scoreless after seven innings. Using the international tiebreaker system, the Lady Cougars pushed a run across on an RBI triple by Randi Small to score Kacy Swart in the top of the eighth.
Gatewood answered in the bottom half of the inning to force another inning. Piedmont was unable to score in the top of the ninth while Gatewood was able to get the winning run home.
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In the tournament opener, Alicia Bassett earned the win, picked up where she left off last season, Camp said.
Bassett has five strikeouts and after walking the first batter did not allow a free pass the remainder of the contest. The walk did not hurt as Bassett then recorded a strikeout followed by a double play by the team’s defense.
Swart was 2-for-4 with two steals while Destiny Walker was 2-for-3. Small and Hailey Burnham both finished 1-for-2. Camp said his team left too many runners on base in the second contest of the tournament.
Bassett and Small are the team’s seniors for 2009 with Walker, Lauren Mitchell and Katie Dimsdale the squad’s three juniors. Savannah Holifield is the lone junior with freshmen Swart, Burnham, Brittany Germany and Heather Tyler.
Eighth graders Anna Jones and Carla Martin are also competing for the varsity.
“We have a great group of girls,” Camp said. “They are hard working and get after it. They show up every day and work hard.” Following the Gatewood tournament, Piedmont defeated Central Fellowship 8-0 Monday as Burnham earned the win working three innings with three strikeouts.
The Lady Cougars scored four runs in the top of the first to set the tone for the afternoon. Swart finished the day 3-for-4 with a double, triple and three runs scored. Burnham, in addition to earning her first win of the season, was 4-for-4 at the plate with two triples, a double and three RBI.
Bassett added a 2-for-3 performance in Monday’s victory.
The Lady Cougars were involved in a close contest with Windsor Tuesday, something that is usually the case when the two schools meet on the softball field.
In the end, Windsor held on for a 4-3 win despite a 3-for-4 performance by Swart who had a triple and two stolen bases. Tyler was also 2-for-4.
Defensively, the team did not have any errors against Windsor. Piedmont is now 2-2 overall with both losses by one run.
“We will try to find ways to win those close ones,” Camp said. “We just need a couple more clutch at bats in RBI situations.”
The coach said Small and Bassett are doing a sound job of proving senior leadership this season. Walker, a junior, is also stepping up in that role, Camp said.
Piedmont is set to compete in a tournament hosted by Strong Rock Friday and Saturday. The event will feature a total of 12 teams. The Lady Cougars will play First Presbyterian at 5 p.m. and Arlington at 9 p.m. Friday to begin the tournament.