Lady Canes Beaten by Banks

Ushered in with a shout of “play ball” by Principal Buddy Cain, the flag raised by American Legion Post #110, the trumpet played by Les Steele for the national anthem, and a first pitch thrown across home plate by Jasper County Charter Schools’ school board chairman Bill Schilling, the Lady Canes made their debut at the new Lady Canes softball field.

Perfectly cut grass (I swear each blade of glass is cut exactly the same length); bright white chalk lines marking the batter’s box, the base lines and the pitcher’s circle; carefully raked gravel at the outfield’s edge; and a smooth as glass infield awaited the Lady Canes for their inaugural game. The field is beautiful.

Bright new bleachers and spacious visitors and home team dugouts large enough for players, equipment and coaches to stretch out with newly made purple benches to sit on, a new scoreboard and scoring stand, a concession stand with restrooms, plenty of parking and new lights surrounding the field, all create a space to be enjoyed for generations of fast pitch softball players to come.

Coach Chris Jenkins and the Lady Canes, taking a wait and see attitude as to how the new field would be to play on, were ready to kick off Jasper County High School’s new athletic complex.

Playing host to Banks County (the number one ranked team in the region at 10-0) for the initiation of the new field, the Lady Canes did not win, but they also did not disappoint. Though the runs weren’t there for the Lady Canes, the final score of 7-1 in favor of Banks County, was deceiving as the game was closer at times than the score suggests.

Avery Barton was on the pitcher’s mound. Taking the loss, she looked strong on many pitches, pitching six and two-thirds innings, surrendering seven runs on six hits and striking out three.

Scoring the first run across the Lady Canes’ new home plate was Banks County during the top of the second inning. They scored two more runs during the top of the fourth inning. One of those runs was an out of the park homer by Banks player T. Denton.

The Lady Canes threatened to score in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with no outs. At the end of the inning, the runners were left stranded at the third out.

The Lady Canes hit their way onto the new scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. An inning that started badly, with two up and two down, resulted in their only run of the game. With two outs DH Bailey Jenkins singled a hard hit line drive to right field. Shortstop Taylor Rutledge and center fielder Treauna Jacobs walked, advancing Jenkins to second, then third, base.

Barton, helping her cause as pitcher, singled a ground ball to shortstop, advancing Jenkins for the first and only run for the Lady Canes and advancing Rutledge and Jacobs to second and third. With the bases loaded for the second time during the game, the runners were left standing on base after Kate Robinson struck out swinging for the third out.

Banks County scored two more runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Jasmine Stone, Barton and Jenkins each contributed one hit to the game and Barton had the sole RBI for the Lady Canes.

Upcoming games for the Lady Canes include an away game on Thursday, Sept.12 against Rabun County. Their last three regularly scheduled games are all home games. On Tuesday, Sept. 17 they play host to Putnam, on Wednesday, Sept. 18 to Eastside, and on Monday, Sept. 23 to Morgan. All games are at 5:30 p.m.

Come support the Lady Canes! See them and their new field before the season ends.