Morgan County softball heads into 2024 after a successful run to the Elite Eight in Columbus last year.
The Lady Dogs went 23-10-1 overall in 2023 and entered the postseason as the top seed after winning the region title with a 10-1 mark. They hosted and won their regional, advancing to the Elite Eight in Columbus under first-year head coach Chad Pigg. They’re hoping to make a return trip this year.
Pigg remains confident in his team despite losing a few key contributors from last season.
“We are adding some good young talent to our returners. I will be interested to see what our identity as a team is over the next few weeks of the early season,” he said. “I am excited to see some of our players evolve into leaders.”
Morgan County spent the offseason working hard, preparing for this moment. The Lady Dogs head into the season, having to rely on several younger players taking on new roles.
Pigg acknowledged several of his girls stepped up in the offseason to lead by example.
“There is some really good competition going on all over our field for starting roles, so I’d say it’s too early to call any young names yet,” Pigg said. “Last year, some of our freshmen had to step into big roles and grow up quickly, so we are excited to see them continue to grow in their new roles.”
Those younger players and a few veterans will be the core of this year’s Morgan County softball team. Pigg didn’t want to mention specific names but feels he has another great group to work with.
Morgan County’s schedule this year is packed with tough non-region games. The Lady Dogs will be tested by facing Monroe Area, Prince Avenue Christian, Buford, and Oconee County, among others.
Due to GHSA’s restructuring, they also will play in a new classification and region this year, moving to Class AA’s Region 4 with Rutland, Westside (Macon), Jackson, Pike County, and Callaway. Four of their five region opponents made the playoffs last season, with one going to Columbus.
Pigg set the bar high but said his players would try and take it one game at a time. The Lady Dogs’ coach described his girls as “hungry” after returning to Columbus for the first time in nearly a decade.
“I expect them to be hungry, especially after a trip to Columbus. They got after it in the weight room this offseason,” Pigg said. “We are returning our pitcher, had a good player transfer who we are excited about, and have some coming off injuries who I feel will be impact players for us.”