Lake Oconee Academy first-year softball head coach Glynn McDaniel doesn’t care about his team’s slow start.
The Lady Titans are 4-7 overall following Tuesday’s win over Thomas Jefferson Academy, but McDaniel has noticed a change in his players over the past few weeks. He’s seeing their hard work beginning to pay off.
“We started the season 0-3, but since then, we have been able to piece together some runs with two wins following the 0-3 start and then two more wins after an 0-4 effort in between,” McDaniel said. “I told the girls that five of our seven games that we have lost were late additions by me, as I wanted to strengthen the schedule to prepare them for a region and playoff run. The hope was to build that resiliency I have spoken about.”
Lake Oconee Academy rides a two-game winning streak into the weekend. The Lady Titans picked up a win in their first region game, defeating Towns County 7-3, and beat Thomas Jefferson Academy in a 6-5 effort.
The team trailed in both wins at some point, but found a way to come back and secure the victory.
“Both games were very similar in that it took us till about the fifth inning to play LOA softball like we have worked on since June. But ultimately, albeit a tad cliché, it’s not about how you start but how you finish,” McDaniel said. “That’s been the mantra all along. The most, though, is ‘trust the process,’ which has been our team’s slogan. We have built an identity on that.”
McDaniel mentioned that the goal is to win the region championship and reach the Elite Eight in Columbus for the first time in school history. That is why he scheduled such a demanding non-region schedule before region play began.
“Hopefully, those tough contests against some really strong opponents are what’s propelling us to these late-inning comeback victories,” McDaniel said. “Now, if we can just get going a little earlier in those contests and learn how to start games hot since we seem to have the closing part down, we’ll be in great shape.”
Two reasons for LOA’s turnaround this season have been sophomore pitchers Kaitlyn Mamay and Faith Patrick. They’ve been the core for the Lady Titans in the circle and lead the team in innings pitched and ERA.
“They’ve been phenomenal for us. They pound the zone with strikes, and that is what is important,” McDaniel said. “I tell the girls all the time, the other team still has to hit it and find holes in our defense to get on base. So, don’t get behind hitters and work ahead, which they do a tremendous job of. It starts with them.”
At the plate, senior Beth Harris and junior Addison Kelley have provided the “spark” the offense needed. They’ve been two of the most reliable players when it comes to getting on base and driving in runs.
“They are really the spark that gets this team going each time out, not only from a production standpoint, but also from great energy and leadership,” McDaniel added. “One of the great stories has been Grace Kalmanowicz, who is one of our sophomores and can fly on the base paths. She leads the team in batting average.”
He also mentioned how Lola Slaughter, Elizabeth Moore, and Shelby Robinson have performed well at the plate.
“Honestly, every game I feel like I’m talking about a different player who stands out,” McDaniel said. “They’ve made a great pitch here, a great defensive play there, or an offensive contribution that ignited our team and helped us win the game. It’s a great problem to have this early in the season.
McDaniel hopes the team will continue on an upward trend as region play starts to heat up.