After starting the season 0-5, Lake Oconee Academy softball has gone 6-3 since, including 2-1 in the region.
Lady Titans head coach Keetah Singleton is proud of her players for persevering after a rough start. She wants her team to make the playoffs for a third straight season and compete for a region title.
“We got two big wins last week against Washington- Wilkes and Towns, so if we win out, we should be tied for first,” Singleton said.
Earlier in the season, LOA struggled to put the ball in play, which surprised Singleton, but in the past few weeks, the Lady Titans’ offense has found some momentum.
“The bottom of the lineup has started hitting more, which has propelled us a little bit,” she said. “The top of the lineup doesn’t have to carry all the weight now, so that really helps us.”
The team started to play with some tenacity, which turned the season around for the Lady Titans.
“You keep working hard, and you keep fighting, and we’re starting to see that hard work pays off,” Singleton said.
She acknowledged that the strength of this team is its attitude.
“They keep being positive, and I think that helps us keep fighting,” Singleton added.
Lake Oconee Academy leans on freshmen pitchers Faith Patrick and Kaitlyn Mamay to carry the team in the circle.
Singleton praised Mamay for her play so far this season.
“She has really pushed herself to the limit as a young pitcher to try and keep us in ball games,” Singleton said.
She added that she’s seen tremendous growth in both players since the start of the season.
“They are learning how to work the count, learn their batters better, and keep the ball off the plate,” Singleton said. “I have seen growth in their maturity and how they keep their composure.”
The key down the stretch for LOA will be to make sure the offense keeps rolling.
“We have to stay in ball games and get runs on the board to assist our pitcher,” Singleton said. “When runners are in scoring position, we have to score.”
The Lady Titans are sitting in a good spot as the region tournament looms on the horizon.
“We just continue to fight till the end and hopefully secure another region championship,” Singleton said.
The Lady Titans continue their fight on Tuesday as they hit the road to take on Lincoln County. The Lady Red Devils are the only team in the region to beat LOA so far, so it’ll be a chance at revenge.