WEST POINT — The Oak Hill Academy fast-pitch softball team is where it thought it would be.
The journey to the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AA State Tournament included a few more detours than expected, but the Lady Raiders got back on track just in time.
As a result, Oak Hill Academy, the No. 4 seed out of the North, will take on Silliman Institute, the No. 1 seed from the South, at 12:30 Saturday in its first game in the double-elimination event.
“We just have to have our mind on playing,” senior first baseman Paige Dawkins said. “We want to make it to the next level.”
Starkville Academy (the No. 3 seed in Class AAA) and Hebron Christian (the No. 2 seed in Class A) also will represent the area at the two-day vent, which will end Monday.
For Oak Hill Academy, an injury to No. 1 pitcher Mamie Allen left the Lady Raiders wondering if they would be healthy enough to compete for a playoff position. With No. 2 pitcher Maegan Ellis also not at 100 percent with a bad back, Oak Hill Academy had to regroup. Allen returned just in time to help the Lady Raiders earn a second victory against Winston Academy that enabled them to secure a berth in the North Half tournament. A 1-2 showing last weekend extended the season.
“Early on in the season, we weren”t doing too well, and I think we have gotten a lot better,” senior infielder Mary Helon Hays said. “I am really excited to be going to state.”
Hays, Dawkins and classmates Anne Stevens and Abby Falkner also played key roles in keeping the team motivated and confident it could achieve its goals.
Hays and Dawkins, who missed last season with injuries, slowly returned to form to lead the offense, which flexed its muscles at the North State tournament with home runs by Dawkins and Ellis and strong hitting by Lauren Hitt.
“We feel extremely lucky to be here,” Oak Hill Academy coach Marion Bratton said. “Saturday was the second time in four and a half weeks that Mamie has thrown. Maegan came through with wins against Winston and Manchester, and Mamie got back to finish Winston off to get us here, so it has been a combination effort by our pitchers and by the ballclub.”
Bratton hopes opponents will take his team lightly. He said the word is out the Lady Raiders are banged up, and three position players have various aches and pains, so the team isn”t at full strength. But Bratton knows his team can play at a high level if it is focused and clicking on all cylinders. He hopes that will be the case Saturday, especially after working back into form at the North State tournament.
“The girls seem to be relaxed,” Bratton said. “I know the pressure was on them (in the regular season) and it was down to one game at a time. Now that they have got to (the state tournament) I hope they can relax and rip. They seem to have had more fun at practice this week than we have had in a month. I am very proud for these seniors.”
Dawkins said the team got in sync and discovered its confidence the more it played together. Through all of the position changes and bumps and bruises, the Lady Raiders are ready to prove they belong where they know they should be.
“I think early on we were trying to play individually,” Hays said. “I know I was trying to do too much, and I think we developed as a team, which is what made us better, too.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.