Cody Parkes is excited about this third year as head softball coach of the Nanih Waiya Lady Warriors.
“We are still a young team with two seniors and three juniors,” he said. “I think we will be able to hit the ball fine. We are going to depend on some of our experienced players.”
Among those is junior Dallyn Nance, who has already verbally committed to Pearl River Community college to extend her softball playing career.
“She can really hit the ball and is the one who really leads us,” Parkes said. Nance will play catcher most of the time, but can play multiple positions.
“I also expect big things out of Kaylee Gregory, and the Eaves sisters (Skylar and Mackenzie) are going to help out a lot.”
Parkes is expecting Presley Kratzer and Hunter Phillips to vie for playing time at first base, with Carlee Presley and Hailey Simpson at second, and Mackenzie Eaves or Nance at short. The third baseman will be seventh-grader Addison Price, when she isn’t pitching.
Nance will catch with Price spelling her at times, while Skylar Eaves, Price, and Gregory will handle the bulk of the pitching.
Gabby Keel is set to play left with Abby Lynch in center and Gregory in right field.
“We have some other players who could figure into things as well,” he said.
The Lady Warriors, who finished last season at 10-10, began the 2020 season at 2-0 on the year and have games set with Columbus, East Webster and Noxapater before Spring Break begins.
Lady Warriors jump out to 2-0 start
The Lady Warriors of Nanih Waiya High School got the 2020 fast-pitch softball season off to a strong start last week with a thrilling 3-2 win over Union on Tuesday and backed that up with a solid 11-1 victory over Winona on Friday.
This week NW was set to visit Columbus on Tuesday, weather permitting, before traveling to Eupora on Friday. Next week the Lady Warriors have one game when they pay a visit to Kosciusko on Monday before taking a week off until hosting Noxapater on Tuesday, March 17.
The Lady Warriors broke a 2-2 tie against Union with a single run in the third and held on for the exciting win.
Kaylee Gregory unleashed a triple and single to lead NW at the plate in the win over the Lady Jackets, while Dallyn Nance tripled and Mackenzie Eaves singled. Nance scored two runs and Gregory one in the game, while Mackenzie Eaves had the lone RBI.
Addison Price was the winning pitcher, striking out nine batters and allowed two hits in four innings of work, while Gregory pitched three innings, and allowed just two hits and no earned runs.
The Lady Warriors broke open a scoreless game against Winona by scoring nine runs in the third inning, then added two in the fourth on the way to the 11-1 win.
Gregory tripled for the winners, while Nance, Abby Lynch and Gabby Keel each had singles. Nance scored twice, while Lynch had two RBIs and Gregory, Skylar Eaves, Carlee Presley, Hunter Phillips and Keel had one each.
Gregory was the winning pitcher, allowing just one hit and no runs, while striking out three in four innings of work.
