War Eagle softball team bounces back

Published 11:14 am Tuesday, March 4, 2025

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By Brian Pitts
Davie Enterprise Record

The bright outlook for 2025 was temporarily washed away in a confidence-shattering 16-1 loss at South Iredell in the Davie softball team’s season opener on Feb. 25.
But the second game couldn’t have gone better as Davie hammered North Davidson 9-1 in Welcome. The War Eagles restored their confidence on the heels of their worst loss in 13 years.
“We went in with a mindset that North Davidson was our first game of the season,” coach Nathan Handy said. “It was a great bounce-back game. It was a reset to our season, and we definitely needed a reset.”
The four-inning game at South was dismal. Raelyn Lankford had the only Davie hit, a home run, while the Vikings pounded out 10 runs in the first inning and 13 hits for the game.
“We didn’t even show up,” Handy said.
Davie 9, ND 1
The War Eagles looked awesome two days later. They had North Davidson in the slammer by the second inning, when it was 4-0.
Potts, who only pitched one-third of an inning in the opener because she was not feeling 100 percent, was back to her dominant self as the star senior walked one and struck out 10 in a three-hitter.
“She was on,” Handy said. “She was hitting spots. We were getting weak ground balls and pop flies.”
But she was only part of the story. Jaydn Davis (3 for 4), Addie Brown (2-4, two RBIs), Brenna Altiers (2-4, two RBIs, double) and Landry Parsons (2-3, double) led a 13-hit barrage.
“Addie was sick and you could tell she didn’t feel good,” Handy said of the sophomore. “But she came through with two hits. I have to give her kudos because they were at big moments.
“Brenna wanted to show out because she’s from Davidson County and would have gone to North Davidson. If we were playing at home, she would have hit two home runs. Their fence is 210 and she hit the fence one time and she was one step away on another run. The one time she got out, it was a long fly ball. She showed out in a big way.
“Landry had a monster hit down the left-field line. When she hit it, I thought it was out. Again, if we were at our place, it would have been out. It hit the fence.”
Carleigh Croom (1-3), Hanna Steinour (1-3), Autumn McEwen (1-4) and Raegan Davis (1-4) contributed offensively as Davie stopped a dry spell in the series (North had won four straight and 10 of the last 11 meetings).
Handy was thrilled beyond words with his outfield – L. Parsons in left, Croom in center and R. Davis in right. L. Parsons made an all-world play.
“The outfield played amazing,” he said. “They were hustling their butts off. Landry Parsons made a catch … I don’t know how she made it. I don’t know how she held onto the ball because she went to the ground. She was coming towards second base. Her and Carleigh had to communicate at the last second as to who was going to make that catch, and Landry called her off. I wish I could have gotten it on film.”
Don’t forget about R. Davis’ bunts.
“Raegan laid down three of the best bunts – push bunts or soft slaps,” Handy said. “They were just perfect. If she can do that all year, she’s going to be a huge asset.”