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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

After starting 0-2, the Davie JV softball team came storming back to .500 last week by blasting Carson (13-3 in six innings) and North Lincoln (15-3 in four innings).

Against visiting Carson on March 8, the War Eagles led 10-0 before Carson scratched.

“It was a great team win,” coach Nathan Handy said. “Each game I’m seeing improvements all over the field. The girls are working hard at practice and it’s paying off.”

Davie took advantage of errors and wild pitching (12 walks). It only needed four hits to pile up the runs, two of which came from Carleigh Croom. Ashley Smith and Brayden Brooks had the other hits.

Defensively, Delaney Parsons (four innings) and Gracie Garwood (two innings) combined for a 1-hitter.

“Delaney threw a great game,” Handy said. “Cora Nicholson and Carleigh both made a couple of good plays at third base. Raelyn Lankford made some good plays at shortstop.”

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The War Eagles faced early adversity against visiting North Lincoln on March 10.

In the top of the first, the Knights had two runs in and seemed poised for more with the bases full and nobody out. But Lankford, Riley Potts and Parsons short-circuited North’s flow, and shortly later the Davie rout was on.

Lankford got the first out of the game by fielding a grounder at short and firing to catcher Hanna Steinour. Potts did the same thing at first base. Then Parsons got a strikeout.

“We brought our infield in and we made two fantastic plays,” Handy said. “That could have easily been six or seven runs in the inning.”

Davie immediately answered in the bottom of the first, scoring three to take the lead, and it took firm control with a five-run second.

Parsons (three hits, two triples), Lankford (two hits) and Nicholson (two hits) led the onslaught. Davie’s 10-hit attack included base knocks from Steinour, Smith and Tytiana Norris.

Potts was dominant in relief, striking out four of six batters in two innings.

“She’s healing up and getting herself prepared to take the next step to varsity,” Handy said. “I think she’s ready. She’s just a little rusty because she obviously hasn’t had a lot of practice coming back from an injury.”

Another positive: Davie only committed one error.

“To play a game with only one error is huge for these girls,” he said. “It’s a big confidence-booster.”