2007: ABAC FASTPITCH OUTLOOK
The Fillies have reloaded for the 2007 campaign. Last year, the Fillies finished with a record of 22 wins and 28 losses and a 14-9 record in the conference. The 2007 Fillies team will comprise of seven returning sophomores and seven new freshmen. The Fillies will be a young team again in 2007, but with the experience of the 7 sophomores, this 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 2007 season with seven new players who will join the seven returning players from 2006. Both catchers, Anna Foster and Ivy Gartman are returning. Anna and Ivy will be a big part of the Fillie line up in 2007 and will be recruited by the four year colleges as they both have the skills to play at the next level. “It is nice not to have to worry about the catching duties as both Anna and Ivy are excellent catchers who handle the pitchers well.” Gartman was named to the 2nd team All Conference last year as a freshman. The infield will be handled by veteran players in Futch, Henley, and Fairfax. Kayla Futch is returning at 3rd base and was named All Conference in 2007 as she hit over .500 in conference play. Megan Henley will return at shortstop and Ashley Fairfax will return at 2nd base. Haley Maxwell is our lone starter returning in the outfield and will be counted on to be the leader in the grass. The lone pitcher returning is Amanda Tucker who saw plenty of action on the mound in 2006 and will be counted on to anchor the pitching staff in 2007.
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.
Campbell’s Fillies team will have seven new freshmen joining the team. In the outfield, she has brought in Laura Brown from Villa Rica high school, Jimmie Beth Hammond from Southland Academy, and local native, Imesha Wells from Tifton. In the infield, Magan Davenport from Chapel Hill high school will handle the duties at 1st base. Three new pitchers will join Tucker to complete the pitching staff. Autumn Welch from Banks, Ala., Jennifer Cone from Tiftarea Academy, and Christy Bryan, from Sommerville, Ga. are three new Fillie pitchers who will greatly add to the Fillie pitching staff.
The Fillies infield should be strong in 2007 as they all gained valuable experience in 2006. Gartman and Foster will see playing time in the infield and outfield when they are not behind the plate. Campbell says: “One of the biggest reasons we have not finished in the top of GJCAA over the past two seasons is the lack of hitting. This year, I believe the 2007 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 Tucker, Welch, Cone, and Bryan to be a tough staff to handle in our region. We are solid at the catching position with Gartman and Foster. Our outfield is the biggest question, but improvement there every week. 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 2007 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.”