Sandiettes Look Sharp in Softball Scrimmage

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – Even though they don’t have all the pieces in place on the softball diamond, the Grapeland Sandiettes looked sharp in a scrimmage against the Normangee Lady Panthers on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 11.

In the circle for the Sandiettes was freshman phenom Cadie Belle Currie. Currie gave up a leadoff single to open the game and that was it. She retired the next three batters she faced in the first inning and did not allow a runner to reach base over the next four plus innings.

Not only was Currie almost unhittable in the circle, the defense behind her showed they could play a little softball as well. After a 1, 2, 3 second inning, Currie opened the third by striking out the lead-off Lady Panther.

The next batter tapped out to Madison Holbrook at first and the inning’s third batter lined one at shortstop Taylar Mullen who fielded the ball on the hop and fired to first for the final out of the third.

In the fourth, the inning opened on an unusual play. The Normangee batter lined a shot towards third baseman Hailee Sheridan that ricocheted off her glove right to Mullen at short. Mullen caught the ball in mid-flight and threw a frozen rope to first to catch the batter by three full strides.

The second out was a routine grounder to Maddie McCombs at second who threw to Holbrook at first for out number two. The next batter grounded into a 6-3 force out.

The fifth inning saw Currie sandwich a 6-3 force between two Ks and in the sixth, Currie opened with two strikeouts before the umpire called the game because of time.

At the plate the Sandiettes also showed they were rounding into form before the season officially opens on Feb. 16.

In the first inning, Mullen led off with a single to right and stole second. McCombs moved to her to third with sacrifice. Currie followed McCombs in the order and hit a shot towards third that was fielded but thrown into the outfield for an error.

The error allowed Mullen to score from third and sent Currie to second. A courtesy runner was brought in for Currie and when Sheridan slapped a double into the gap, she scored all the way from second.

Megan Holbrook was up next and she lined a pitch into center for a single that chased Sheridan across the plate to make the score 3-0.

Grapeland put two on in the bottom of the second but couldn’t bring them across the dish and it looked like they might do the same thing in the third. Sheridan and Me. Holbrook hit back-to-back singles but the Normangee pitcher was able to record a K and a pop-up for the second out.

However, on the pop-up, an ill-advised throw sailed into the outfield and allowed Sheridan to cross the plate and make the score 4-0.

The Sandiettes loaded the bases in the fourth inning but couldn’t put up any more runs and after a quick fifth inning, as mentioned earlier he scrimmage was called because of time.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].