Cherokee High School Fastpitch: Welcome
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Welcome to Cherokee High School Fastpitch. Go Warriors!!
2009 WARRIORS OFF TO A GREAT START!
The Slam by Toby Mac
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By Carlton D. White
cwhite@cherokeetribune.com
MARIETTA - So much for Cherokee supposedly having down year in 2009.
Torie Reeves threw a five-inning no-hitter and the Lady Warriors' bats connected for 13 hits as they trounced Kell, 9-0, on Saturday in a gold bracket game of the Kell Invitational at Sandy Plains Park.
Everyone in Cherokee's lineup had at least one hit. Bree Wells batted 2-for-4 and scored three runs, while Brianne Welch was 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. Jessica Jones and Samantha Young had identical 2-for-3 games with a run and an RBI and Macey Phillips was 1-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.
It was a welcome sight for the Lady Warriors, who had some questions in their lineup, which has seen plenty of changes since the team's '08 run to the state championships in Columbus. Cherokee lost ace pitcher Abbey Meixel and top sluggers Sharon Swanson and Ashley Moss to graduation, while another key hitter, Jerrah Baker, transferred to Creekview.
"We did a really nice job getting the bats going in this game," Cherokee coach Tonya Carlisle said. "It was a good way to end the week."
Reeves, who was 1-for-2 with an RBI from the plate, was perfect through four innings before issuing a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Katie Konberger in the top of the fifth. A wild pitch sent Konberger to second, but Reeves struck out the side to end the inning.
"When I'm playing the game, I just focus on pitching and getting the batters out, not on the stats," Reeves said. "I was told about (the no-hitter and the near perfect game) when the game was over, so I was pretty proud of it when I found out.
"I just felt really confident out there and relied on my defense to make plays. I was comfortable the whole game."
Count Carlisle pleased, too, as she appears to have found a new weapon in the circle with Meixel having moved on to Kennesaw State.
"Torie did a great job out there," Carlisle added. "She's really stepped it up and has taken the torch that Abbey passed on and run with it."
In Saturday's game, Cherokee jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first and didn't look back. The Lady Warriors totaled four runs on six hits in the inning as Wells, Welch, Jones and Phillips all scored. Reeves' single to center scored Wells from third. Phillips' one-out double then plated Welch and Jones before Young's two-out single scored Phillps to wrap the early outburst.
Kell pitcher Molly LaPalm, who gave up all nine runs on 13 hits, kept Cherokee off the board in the second and third innings, but the Lady Warriors' bats heated up again with two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
The Lady Warriors finished the season-opening Kell Invitational with a 4-1 record after posting wins Friday against Northview and preseason Class AAAAA No. 9 Lassiter.
The Lady Warriors lost to Northside-Warner Robins in their first game Saturday, but bounced back with their wins against Kell and Class AAA No. 6 Ringgold.
"We needed a good win like (those) after losing to Warner-Robins," said Carlisle, whose team will pick back up by hosting Woodland-Bartow on Tuesday.
Tuesday, August 11
Handout: Schedule
Sunday, August 16
Varsity Junior Varsity
Naomi Catt Sierra Cagle
Chelsea Cummins Rebeeca Haller
Madison Hester India Hampton
Taylor Johnson Kaitlyn Leftwich
Jessica Jones Brittany Manous
Ashley Peppers Lauren Mullinax
Brinley Peppers Courtney Nations
Macey Phillips Anna Rowe
Torie Reeves Jennifer Stratton
Natalie Rhodes Kimberly Stratton
Brianne Welch Darien VanBloom
Bree Wells
Samantha Young
Tuesday, August 11
2008 FINISH 3RD IN STATE AAAAA
2008 REGION 5-AAAAA CHAMPIONS
2007 AAAA STATE RUNNER UP
2006 FINISH 5TH IN STATE AAAA
2005 STATE SECTIONALS
Saturday, August 23