The Cathedral Lady Waves fast pitch softball team completed its schedule Thursday against Natchez High, and in the process brought an end to the first phase of rebuilding the softball program.

“We conquered the basics this year. Next year we will try to advance,” Cathedral head coach Pam Clayton said. “In two years we will be playoff bound. They have the potential, they must now develop the skill.”

Clayton said the falling off of the Lady Waves program was due to an absence of consistent coaching within the program. One aspect of the program that has suffered as a result has been the Lady Waves’ bullpen.

“This season we did fine, taking into account that we did not have a pitcher,” she said.

Currently Clayton is working to develop two pitchers, an eighth-grader and a ninth-grader, but she neither has seen any real action.

“They have not played in any games, but we have tried not to push them too fast. They need time to develop their form and delivery,” she said.

The Lady Waves won five games this season, but Clayton said, “Our goal was three games, so we surpassed our goal.”

She added that if her team can develop a pitcher over the offseason, the team’s goal for next season would be double.

“We are working on a pitcher from here forward.”

As the process of developing a pitcher continues, Clayton will hold slow- pitch softball tryouts this Thursday and Friday from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

She said part of building a program is developing a cycle of winning.

“You have to start a rotation, and once we do that, other girls will catch the fever and the program will grow,” she said.

Lady Rebels face busy week ahead

The Adams County Christian School softball team has a busy week ahead, as they face Parklane today on the road at 6 p.m., Amite School Center on Tuesday at home, and Parklane again on Thursday at home.

Currently the Lady Rebels are 5-3, and ACCS head coach Rick Fife said his team is playing the way he has expected them to.

“We are sitting where I expected to be sitting this time of year,” he said.

Fife said the key to the Lady Rebels success has been the leadership provided by his senior players.

“The seniors have played well and have provided us with the leadership we need,” Fife said. “They have led by example, whether it be at practice or during a game.”

So far, Fife said he has been satisfied with the way the Lady Rebels have performed at the plate, but said they need to improve on defense.

“I think we will do well as long as we continue to hit the ball at the plate and our defense improves,” he said. “We need to improve on our defense, and we still need to improve our hitting a little bit, especially situational hitting. We need to drive runs in when we have runners on base.”

Lady Vikings start playoffs

The Vidalia High softball team will begin their postseason run at home on Tuesday when they take on Livonia at 5 p.m.

After finishing the regular season with an overall record of 18-11-1, this is the first of two games the Lady Vikings must win in order to advance to the state playoffs.

Vidalia head coach Jeannie Hall said she does not know a whole lot about the team she is about to face, but she said she was working on that.

“They came in third in their district, but that does not necessarily mean anything. I am going to make a few phone calls today and try to get the scoop on them,” she said.

Heading into Tuesday’s game, Hall said for the most part, she has been satisfied with the way her team has played. But now she said her main concern now is getting the best from each one of her players.

“I hope they are relaxed and can take everything we have worked on all year and bring it together in the game. I wan to know that every player gave everything they had, regardless of the score,” Hall said.

She said she also plans on using every weapon that the Lady Vikings have created over the course of the season.

If the lady Vikings beat Livonia, they will next face the winner of Episcopal and Mamou. From there they must win in order to reach the state playoffs.