AHSAA Softball Spotlight

Sand Rock Pitcher Jadyn Foster Has 1,000 Reasons for Capturing this week’s AHSAA Softball Spotlight

Montgomery, AL – There are a thousand reasons Sand Rock High School senior pitcher Jadyn Foster finds herself in this week’s AHSAA Softball Spotlight.

She reached 1,000 strikeouts in her prep career when she struck out a Cedar Bluff hitter on a swinging third strike in the top of the second inning in the Wildcats’ 8-1 softball victory. Foster did not allow a hit over the first three innings and finished with seven strikeouts to push her career total to 1,004 in the win.

It was a milestone she set her sights on early in her prep career.

“It is a goal she has wanted to reach and something she has worked hard for,” said Sand Rock Coach Josh Bates. Following the third strikeout of the game, Bates asked for s timeout and called his team into the circle and told them them about the milestone Foster had reached, WEIS Radio’s Shannon Fagan reported.

“She has worked hard every day and puts all the extra time in. It could not happen to a better kid to get that 1,000th strikeout on this  field tonight at home.”

Foster helped her cause at the plate with a two-run homer in the fourth inning and an RBI-double in the second inning. Teammate Ella Grace Hood came in after the third inning to pitch the final four innings. She also allowed no hits, giving the two hurlers a combined no-hitter, and struck out eight, 15 in all for both pitchers.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet. The first four batters (for Cedar Bluff) are really good hitters,” Foster said. “I try not to worry about who the hitter is. I just try to get them to swing at a pitch.

Hood also went 2-for-3 with a triple to drive in two runs for Sand Rock (27-6), which also posted three wins in the Albertville tourney at Sand Mountain Park last week. Foster picked up two wins in 10 innings of work. She struck out 18 and allowed just six hits in a 3-2 win over Glencoe and 4-1 victory over Arab.

Foster’s milestone effort edged out a performance from Wicksburg’s Megan Cochran, whose was 3-for-3 in a 15-0 win over Headland with two home runs and six RBIs in the Dothan Diamond Classic. She also pitched a five-inning shutout yielding two hits and striking out seven. Wicksburg slugged five home runs in the contest with Ella Grace Kelley socking a 2-run blast, Anslie Ellenburg hitting a three-run homer, and Lana Carpenter clubbing a two-run shot. Pitcher Ellie Cox pitched two no-hitters in the tourney, beating Ashford 10-0 in five innings with seven strikeouts and whiffing eight in a four-inning 12-1 win over Dothan. She slugged a three-run homer to end the game.

Sand Rock coach Josh Bates celebrates Jadyn Foster’s 1,000th career strikeout. (PHOTO COURTESY | SHANNON FAGAN, WEIS RADIO)


IN THE CLUTCH
KATIE CHANDLER PRATTVILLE: Delivered a bases-loaded two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Lions to a 4-3 win over Enterprise – handing the Wildcats their first area loss. She finished with three hits.
AMERICA ANDERSON, PIKE ROAD: Drilled an inside-the-park home run to spark the Patriots (17-10) to a 10-0 win over Charles Henderson. She also had a single and scored three times.
A.B. McKAY, LAWRENCE COUNTY: Totaled three doubles and two RBIs as the Red Devils beat East Lawrence 8-6.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES REPORTED
KAYLEE NAVARRE, BRANTLEY: 
Hurled a 7-inning 1-hitter and struck out 16 as the Bulldogs (13-5) beat Class 3A Ashford 5-0. Coco Stamps had two hits in the win.
BELL SHEFFIELD, SATSUMA: Hurled wins over Leroy (7-1) and Spanish Fort (1-0) to improve to 17-2 in the circle this season. Madison Medley also hit her third home run of the week for the winning Gators (29-9).
ELLA BOYD, SPARKMAN: Whiffed nine in a 15-1 five-inning win over Albertville to push her strikeout total past 100 for the season. She also had two doubles and a single at the plate.
SAVANNAH MONEY, ASHFORD: Had 26 strikeouts over 11 innings in three pitching appearances for the Yellow Jackets – picking up two wins and save at the Dothan Diamond Classic tourney. She also hit two home runs and  finished with three RBIs.
TAYLOR TITTLE, DESHLER: Pitched a three-hitter and struck out 13 in a 13-0 victory over Class 7A Florence.
ABBY LEA, CHEROKEE COUNTY: Pitched a 5-0 shutout to beat Sardis in the Albertville Tourney. She allowed one hit and struck out 11. She also socked a triple in the win.
BRADYN MITCHELL, HATTON: Struck out 11 and allowed just one hit in a 10-1 five-inning win over Lexington.
MIKAYLAH FUQUA, AUSTIN: Was 3-for-3 hitting with three stolen bases and three runs scored in a 17-1 win over Florence on Tuesday.
CASSIE REASNER, SPARKMAN: Clubbed her ninth homer of the season and added a single and three RBIs as the Senators beat Albertville 15-1.
MADILYN BYRD, BALDWIN COUNTY: Pitched wins over Daphne (4-3) and Faith Academy (7-2) at the Saraland tourney last week striking out 12 of the 19 batters she faced.
BRE HUGHES, SARALAND: Led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run and finished with three hits as the Spartans beat Gulf Shores 7-0.
RYLEY HARRISON, FAIRHOPE: Clubbed a grand slam home run in the Pirates’ 12-6 win over Satsuma.  Teammate Emma Stewart had four hits with a homer and three RBIs.
SHONDA EPPS, GAYLESVILLE: Hammered a grand slam and finished with five RBIs in the Trojans’ 23-3 win over Woodville. Teammates Jayden Dobbins and Emma Givens each finished 4-for-4 in the Lady Trojans’ 18-7 victory and finished with a double and four RBIs apiece.
ALLY WHITEHEAD, G.W. LONG: Had seven hits, including three home runs, and had seven RBIs in four games for the Rebels at the Dothan Diamond Classic. Teammate Ainsley Watts also had six hits, two home runs and six RBIs.