2006:  ABAC FASTPITCH OUTLOOK

 

 

     The Fillies fell from the top of the GJCAA in 2004 and 2005, but have reloaded for the 2006 campaign.  Last year, the Fillies finished with a record of 25 wins and 23 losses and a 10-8 record in the conference.  The 2006 Fillies team will comprise of five returning sophomores, and two sophomore transfers, and ten freshmen.  The Fillies will be a young team again in 2006, but with the experience of the 7 sophomores, the young team should develop well as the season progresses and will once again be a contender for the GJCAA title.  The ABAC fastpitch winning tradition is a strong one and we have high hopes that we will get back on top this season.

 

     Coach Campbell has reloaded for the 2006 season with twelve new players who will join the five returning players from 2005.  Returning starters are catcher, Teresa Long, outfielders, Candice Toms and Amber Whittle, along with outfielder, Marquita Grimes and infielder, Kala Morrison.  “Candice was named as one of the top players in the GJCAA last season being named to the All Region team and I look for her to be the leader I need for this young team.  Teresa gain valuable experience last season behind the plate and will help with our catching duties again this season.  She has an excellent bat and will be counted on to drive in the runs again this season.  One big change in 06 will be the moving of Amber back to her natural outfield position.  Amber is a very capable hitter and an excellent outfielder.  Marquita will help us with her bat in 2006 and Kala will be an asset to our team as well playing 1^st base.  I expect these five players to lead this young team back to the top of our Region.  The Fillies also added a little more experience to the 2006 team as two junior college transfers will be joining the squad.  Jordan Tharp, who played at T.C.C. last season will join us and add depth to our pitching staff and play 2^nd base and Jessica Littlejohn who played at Chipola will be one of our starting pitchers on the mound.  Jess will see time at 1^st base as well.  “I am very excited that Jordan and Jess are at ABAC and they already have become a big part of our team.  Jordan and Jess will also help us with their bat as they are both very excellent hitters.”   

 

     A highlight this season will be playing over fifty games and traveling to tournaments in Florida.  The Fillies were also invited to play Auburn University this Fall which was a tremendous experience for the team.  The Fillies will compete with some of the best Florida teams during their season before they face their conference opponents.  One of the biggest highlights of the 2006 season will be when the Fillies, along with Valdosta State University will once again play host to the 2006 GJCAA Region Tournament in April at the Lady Blazer field in Valdosta, Ga.

 

     Campbell’s Fillies team will have ten new freshmen joining the team.  In the outfield, she has brought in Haley Maxwell, and Glenna Ruth Parkman.  The infield will be made up of almost entirely of freshmen players, as Megan Henley, Kayla Futch, Ashley Fairfax, Brittney London, and Cassie Burke are all new to ABAC.  Ivy Gartman and Anna Foster are also two new catchers who will see playing time in the infield as well.  The pitching duties will be handled by Jordan Tharp, Jessica Littlejohn, Amanda Tucker, and Brittney London.  This year’s team also has more of a local flair as the majority of the team is from the surrounding area of Tifton.  Whittle, Gartman, and Futch played high school ball at Tift County High School.  Parkman came to us from Tiftarea Academy.  Maxwell is from nearby Worth County, so the local touch on Fillie field is ever present.

 

     The Fillies infield will be young, but talented; with plenty of depth.  Megan Henley, from Statesboro has shown great range at shortstop this Fall and Brittney London, from Bainbridge has done a great job there as well.  Cassie Burke, from Sylvania adds a flair in the infield as well as the outfield.  Ashley Fairfax and Jordan Tharp will have the duties at second base.  The corners are loaded with talent and depth.  Kayla Futch, from Tifton will play 3^rd base and when Ivy Gartman isn’t catching she will see time there as well.  1^st base will have several faces during the season as Kala Morrison, Teresa Long, Jessica Littlejohn, Brittney London, and Ivy Gartman.  Catcher, Anna Foster could see playing time in the infield and outfield, as well as time in the DH spot when she is not catching.  All of these players will be counted on to contribute to the Fillies, defensively and offensively. 

 

     Campbell says:  “One of the biggest reason we have not finished in the top of GJCAA over the past two seasons is the lack of hitting.  This year, I believe the 2006 Fillies will be an explosive hitting team as the freshmen have the ability to hit well and the returning sophomores have been working hard.  During our Fall season I was very impressed with the freshmen abilities to hit and bunt, so I feel we will be able to score some runs this year.  Our pitching staff will have more depth than in the past and I look for Tharp, Littlejohn, Tucker, and London to be a tough staff to handle in our region.  We are loaded at the catching position as Long, Gartman, and Foster are all excellent catchers.  I am also very impressed with the improvement of the sophomores as their Fall seasons have gone well.  We have added more speed and depth and I have high hopes for the 2006 team.   Our biggest goal is to get back on top of the GJCAA and get back to the National tournament.”

 

     We have a great fastpitch tradition at ABAC and I feel with our ethics of hard work and dedication, this will be another good ABAC fastpitch team and a fun team to coach.  Our goal in this program has always been to have a top-class team who loves to hustle and compete with the best in the nation and an exciting team to watch.  I strongly believe that with our philosophy of hard work and commitment, and a little luck, we can continue to make our program a regular face at the NJCAA National Tournament.”