Playing for Anna

PV softball trying to keep things close to normal as they play for fallen teammate

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD — Dexter Duncan took the Pleasant Valley softball team into its first game of the Calhoun County Tournament with the aim of keeping things as normal as possible in a situation that is anything but normal.

The seventh-ranked and fourth-seeded Lady Raiders played Saks in their first game since pitcher Anna Bryant underwent surgery after being struck with a foul ball in the dugout during a weekend tournament in Ardmore.

Bryant is the daughter of softball coach David Bryant. Her mother, Dana, coaches the PV volleyball team. Both are remaining at their daughter’s side while she recovers.

Meanwhile, it falls on Duncan to direct the team for the foreseeable future.

Normal around the Lady Raiders is winning and Tuesday night they did that in a big way, routing Saks 9-0 the four-hit shutout pitching of Alisa St. John, Bryant’s cousin, and a six-run fourth inning started by Savannah Williams’ two-run homer.

They now play the winner of top-seeded Oxford and White Plains Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

“It was very emotional, but we kind of worked through it together … to play for Anna,” St. John said. “We were determined to get this done because we really wanted to work to do it for her. We never doubted each other for a minute. We came together closer as a team to get this done. It was very rough, but we made it.”

The Lady Raiders were playing Westminster in their second game of the tournament when the accident occurred. Bryant was seated in the dugout when a foul ball hit by a teammate shot off the bat. It flew through an open doorway in the dugout and struck the sophomore in the head.

They immediately withdrew from the tournament and later cancelled a Monday game with Oxford. But as Bryant continued to improve the Lady Raiders started looking forward to the county tournament.

It has been an emotional four days, but Duncan reported the players were in high spirits to play in the tournament. Having what he calls “pretty efficient” practices helps keep them on track so the only thing different was the sign-giver in the third-base coach’s box.

“I think they’re going to be fine,” Duncan said earlier in the day. “They hurt for Anna, their teammate and their friend, but it’s become a new challenge to rise to the occasion as opposed to making it an excuse.

“I’m not going to say they’re completely over it, but now that they know Anna’s OK and she’ll be all right I think that’s eased some of the stress and anxiety they’ve been carrying.”

Bryant was moved into a regular room Monday and was up and about Tuesday. She reportedly relayed a message to her teammates through one of the parents that she wanted them to win the game.

Once they got on the field, the Lady Raiders looked focused and determined. St. John pitched six scoreless innings, giving up four hits and striking out the last two batters she faced. Her defense helped her with three double plays.

She said it was “very important” to pitch a good game “because I was doing it for her. We were doing it for her.”

Savannah Williams broke a scoreless pitching duel between St. John and Saks’ Lanie Dreyer with her fifth homer of the season. McKinley Parris and Kara Perry followed with back-to-back doubles to make it 3-0 and the Lady Raiders scored three more runs before the inning ended.

They added three more the next inning, capped by Taylor Williams’ two-run single, doing what Duncan called “a really good job” of finishing their game. Atleigh Brannon, Cheyanne Griffith, Parris and Mikayla Kendrick all had two hits for the Lady Raiders.

“We wanted to play for Anna and do our best because that’s what she would want,” Savannah said. “I just knew I had to start something, either a ground ball or whatever, and it just came through that I got a home run. It felt really good. Just proud I could start us something.”

Since the accident schools from throughout the area have called offering support for Bryant and the program. Many are holding fundraisers to help the family defray expenses. Several teams in the tournament have said they would be wearing blue ribbons in honor of Bryant, and the Saks players were putting them on in the dugout before the game.

After the game the teams gathered at the center circle for a moment of prayer.

“The outpouring of support from the entire county is tremendous,” PV principal and athletics director Mark Proper said.

On the cover: The Pleasant Valley softball team huddles before its Calhoun County Tournament opener; no doubt its thoughts are on teammate Anna Bryant, whose jersey will continue to hang in the dugout while she recovers from surgery. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

CALHOUN COUNTY SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
First-round games
No. 8 White Plains 8, No. 9 Jacksonville 2
No. 5 Saks 9, No. 12 JCA 1
No. 6 Ohatchee 7, No. 11 Weaver 6
No. 7 Wellborn 13, No. 10 Faith Christian 3

Second-round games
April 12, 6:30 p.m.
No. 4 Pleasant Valley 9, Saks 0
No. 3 Piedmont 3, Ohatchee 2
No. 2 Alexandria 3, Wellborn 0

Thursday’s Games
Winners Bracket
No. 1 Oxford (21-6, 4-0) vs. White Plains, 5 p.m., Field A
Oxford-White Plains winner vs. Pleasant Valley, 6:30 p.m., Field B
Piedmont vs. Alexandria, 6:30 p.m., Field C

Losers Bracket
Weaver vs. Saks, 5 p.m., Field B
Jacksonville vs. Wellborn, 5 p.m., Field C
JCA vs. Ohatchee, 5 p.m., Field D
Faith vs. Oxford-White Plains loser, 6:30 p.m., Field A
Weaver-Saks winner vs. Faith/Oxford-White Plains winner, 8 p.m., Field B
Jacksonville-Wellborn winner vs. JCA-Ohatchee winner, 8 p.m., Field C

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