Stop ✋ #1 on the day long adventure takes place at The Barn Cafe on The Hill. Breakfast and reflection about the conversation with Head Coach Rick Nester after a busy, busy week in which the Lady Cavaliers played three games in four days.
The team went 1-2 over the stretch, defeating Galax at Cavalier Park and then falling short at Floyd County and Patrick County.
Working the week backwards, Thursday night in Stuart was a great example of what the team has been facing this season. Carroll County was leading 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Emma Harman pitched a great game and slugging Short Stop Addie Greene had stroked two extra base hits ➕ the defense was playing spot on.
The line score shows that Carroll County outhit Patrick County 7-6 on the night but the Cougars bunched theirs up in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Breakfast is here, so its time for the first break. More to follow…
PCHS plated five runs 🏃♂️ in their big inning and held on for a 6-3 victory, dropping the Lady Cavaliers to 4-6 on the season as we approach the halfway point.
” I told the girls after the game that if someone was a fan of softball they saw an entertaining game tonight,” said Nester. ” We did everything we needed to do to win the game, they just bunched up their hits in that one inning.”
Musical 🎼 🎵 Chairs 💺
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One of the things that Nester is most proud of this season is the way that his team has bought into the rotation of spots in the lineup and in the field. The team started with little wiggle room on the roster and that has been magnified by injuries and illness.
The outfield appeared to be the most set part of the lineup card. Brooke Webb in left field, Holly Miller in Center and Madison Coleman in right. The trio has spent very few innings on the Diamond 💎 together as each has sustained an injury.
Coleman was the first to miss time but has since returned while Miller is most likely done for the season with a broken collar bone and Webb is out with a sprained ankle, hopefully returning at some point.
Carlie Beamer and Laynie-Jo Leonard have faced challenges with health issues.
” I have explained to our team that you have to show up with the mindset of I will play where the team needs me to play,” added Nester. ” Especially for the ones that hope to play at the next level, you have to be able to fill whatever role is needed from you. I am proud of the fact that our Girls have bought into the thought process.”
Faith Clontz underwent a second surgery on her shoulder and is out for the season but this was known before opening day. The loss of Miller put the Cavaliers squarely behind the eight ball in a number of ways.
Miller is the spark plug to everything, from her understanding of how to play centerfield to using her speed to reek havoc on the base paths to energizing the bench. Her loss to the injury during the home opener was a setback and then some. Once Coleman was healthy enough, she slid over to Center, leaving a vacancy in right field.
Natalie Burress is holding down the catching duties and working with both Emma Harman and Addie Greene, the two pitchers working in the circle 🔵.
The theme of folks having to step into the shoes 👞 of another is a lengthy one.
Travis Leath replacing the Coaching spot vacated by the passing of Jeff Tobler.
Emma Harman replacing Emma Leath in the circle.
Madison Coleman replacing Holly Miller in centerfield.
Laiken Burnett replacing Coleman in right field.
Laynie-Jo Leonard filling in for Brooke Webb in left field.
Carlie Beamer replacing the Senior leadership of Leath and Lindamood.
Kenzie McMillian sliding into the spot vacated by Harman being on the mound.
Raylee Goins playing the role of Swiss army knife 🔪, going wherever Coach needs her.
Don’t forget the revolving door leading to the JV roster so that Carroll County can have a healthy substitute on game day.
The schedule this week is more user friendly as the team heads over to Galax on Wednesday evening and returns to Cavalier Park on Friday to face Radford
Coach Nester is not making excuses nor is he looking for sympathy. Coach is just looking for his group to make plays and show flexibility. They are doing both and as long as they continue to be themselves and not the person who they are stepping in for, everything will be fine.
We have reached the next stop ✋, the Planet Fitness in Bluefield. Will pick this back up afterwards.
The next stop ✋on the Saturday with Linda day will be to ✔ in on Miss Macie Adkins at Southwest Virginia Community College.
I will take a moment to rewind to the start of the day. Linda worked out of town this week over in Arkansas so we haven’t spent much time together this week. So I mapped out a day that would involve us g together. The day required a meal, a movie, a trip to the Gym, a story for Coach Nester and watching 👀 a sporting event.
The logical answer was to head over to Duke because there we would get a twofer as the Blue – White football game is being played & Duke – Notre Dame softball.
The decision to take the other path has very little to do Softball and more about the impressive young Lady playing it.
Louisburg College is an absolute juggernaut on the Softball diamond 💎.
They are 26-0 in the league and flirting with 50 wins on the season. They’re is little reason to think that the Flying Eagles will upend their guests today but that’s not the reason why one shows up.
Macie Adkins is a great example of a potential Difference Maker and there is a shortage of people like that nowadays. Brandi Cochran – Mitchell, Kris Richardson, Shannon Dalton and Vickey Ritchie are four examples of people that I have crossed paths with over the past five years. This group does for the Greater Good and we need more of them!
Adkins comes from a loving and well grounded Family 👪 and that’s a terrific start. She absolutely shines in the classroom and plays her heart ❤ out on the Softball field. SWCC is trying hard to build a program and its moving along at a slow pace but that hasn’t effected the disposition of our former Lady Cavalier, not even a little.
51 minutes / 45 miles to the next stop ✋, where we will find Macie Adkins and SWCC!
2:27 – end of 1st game…
A.S.P.N on The Hill 