GMC Prep finishes season with pair of wins
GMC Prep finishes season with pair of wins Steven Cary The Union-Recorder The Union-Recorder Thu Oct 03, 2013, 08:15 AM EDT MILLEDGEVILLE 鈥� Georgia Military Prep School softball has been busy this week, pulling off two victories at home with the first coming against Perry on Monday for the Lady Bulldogs鈥� senior day and the second against West Laurens on Wednesday. Recognizing the team鈥檚 lone senior, Jessica Hayles, on Monday prior to the game, GMC Prep snagged their 19th win this season as they beat Perry 4-0. 鈥淲e managed four runs just by putting the ball in play, doing a great job running the bases; you know, it鈥檚 not always going to be pretty and it鈥檚 not always going to look in the box score, but they got it done,鈥� Julie Brooker, head coach, said. Adding to her resume, Dixie Raley pulled off a big win against Perry, shutting them down offensively and leaving them scoreless. 鈥淧erry was an unreal game. Really Perry swings the bat so hard, so for Dixie to work through that line up and come up with 19 strikeouts is really phenomenal,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淩eally didn鈥檛 see a whole lot from our defense, as far as getting our defense to work. The only two outs were I think we threw a runner out at third and there was a bunt-out that came from third to first.鈥� Offensively, GMC Prep was led by Whitley Dunn, who earned her third home run of the season against Perry. 鈥淲hitley鈥檚 just a dangerous bat,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 leading the team with batting average. She鈥檚 batting right at .500.鈥� Also, continuing to lead the Lady Bulldogs鈥� defense was Hayles behind the plate. 鈥淛essica is just a natural born leader; she has worked for everything she鈥檚 gotten and deserves everything she鈥檚 gotten. I鈥檝e been coaching for 10 years and she鈥檚 the best defensive player I鈥檝e ever coached,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淚 struggle with do I really want her in the field or do I want her catching, but this year we鈥檝e really gone with a pitcher-catcher game and she鈥檚 just done a phenomenal job with our pitching staff. We鈥檙e not striking out batters and doing like we鈥檙e doing without Jessi back there.鈥� GMC Prep extended its record to 19-3 by overtaking West Laurens 9-5 in the teams鈥� final regular-season competition. The team had one of its best nights offensively with everyone in the line up putting the ball in play. 鈥淚 just really like the way the entire team swung the bat tonight,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淓verybody took their turn and learned from the previous at-bat.鈥� Defensively, the Lady Bulldogs looked to Macy Watkins on the mound early on; though, Sarah Margaret Mason finished things off for GMC Prep on Wednesday night. Brooker believes sophomore Kaylie Harding performed well against the Lady Raiders, showing much improvement since the beginning of the season. 鈥淚 really like the way Kaylie Harding is coming around. She鈥檚 been key, and she鈥檚 making big plays at third base,鈥� Brooker said. 鈥淪he started out as a utility鈥擨 had her at first, I had her in the outfield, she catches, and now she鈥檚 got a position and doing a great job.鈥� Looking toward the postseason, GMC Prep will take on Aquinas at home on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. for a Region Crossover contest, in which the winner of the game will play in the Region 7A Championship game later in the week.
