Softball season off to good start
Jeff Davis High’s softball program got off to a solid start on the 2023 season Monday as the Lady Jackets swept visiting Wilcox County in a JV/varsity doubleheader, 8-0 and 8-0.
The pitching and defense stood out as freshman lefty Jaqueline Villasenor pitched a 1-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts in the JV game and she was backed up with a no-error performance by the defense. Villasenor walked three and hit one as Wilcox managed only five baserunners.
The big question mark for the varsity this season was could sophomore pitcher Carrie Ellen Arnold fill the shoes of the 2022 Class AA Player of the Year Kelsey Parlor who led the Lady Jackets to last year’s State Championship.
Arnold answered that question admirably as she pitched a 2-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and only one walk. And she added another big plus by going 3-for-3 at the plate.
At the plate in the JV game, Claire Stinson led a 9-hit attack going 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI. Jazmine Villasenor had a pair of singles and two RBI, Ava Bohannon doubled and drove in a run, and Alera Vann, Madison Joyce, Riley Hughes and Brylee Wyatt all singled.
In the varsity game, Arnold gave up a hit to the first batter she faced. She then struck out two and ended the inning with a pop-out to first. She struck out the side in the second and, in the third, Wilcox got two on with a single and a walk with one out. But Arnold struck out the next two batters. After retiring Wilcox in order in the fourth, she struck out the side in the fifth.
The game was scoreless through two innings as Arnold’s second inning single was the only Lady Jacket hit.
Lead-off hitter shortstop Jenna Miles got the Jackets rolling in the third with a triple, scoring on a Cori Mims sacrifice fly.
JD blew the game open in the fourth with four runs. Arnold started things with a single, Claire Stinson reached on an error and went to second on the same error pushing pinch runner Jazmine Villasenor to third. Villasenor then scored on a ground out by Alara McCall and Stinson took third. Kalleigh Sellers followed with a single to score Stinson and went to second on an error, making it 3-0. After a strikeout, Laisha Hernandez singled and pinch runner Kira Buford went to third.
Then Miles came to the plate for the at-bat of the game. She fouled off six pitches in a 10-pitch at-bat. After Buford scored on a wild pitch, Miles got her second triple of the game on a 3-2 count to drive in Hernandez, making in 5-0.
The Lady Jackets closed out the game in the fifth with five consecutive singles by Arnold, Buford, McCall, Sellers and Bentlee Metts to end the game by the run rule.
While Arnold was 3-for-3 with a trio of singles, Miles doubled Arnold’s base total with a pair of triples and an RBI. Sellers singled twice and drove in a run, McCall had a single and two RBI, Metts had a single and an RBI, Buford and Hernandez both singled and Mims drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.
Score by innings:
Jayvee game:
WCHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0
JDJV 0 1 3 2 0 2 -9
Varsity game:
WCHS 0 0 0 0 0 -0
JDHS 0 0 1 4 3 -8
