Happy meal coming up
- Updated: April 17, 2019
It was fun to say Tuesday, but now it’s complete: Winner, winner chicken dinner; PV completes undefeated area schedule
By East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE –Fire up that smoker, coach.
Pleasant Valley softball coach David Bryant promised his players if they were able to go through their Class 3A Area 11 schedule undefeated he would gladly break out the smoker again and put together a chicken feast for them Friday.
The Lady Raiders dominated Wellborn Wednesday 9-3 to complete their area schedule 8-0.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
“I’m more than happy to be able to smoke chicken for my girls,” Bryant said. “They earned it. We are going to enjoy this and then get our focus on the area tournament.”
Rylee Haynes remembered the tasty snack last year when Bryant just wanted to do something nice for his players, and it was her question about its return during practice last week that prompted Bryant to make his deal about going undefeated.
“We all love his chicken,” Haynes said. “He’s really good at it.”
The plan last year was for each player to get a piece, but several players were on a school FCA kayaking trip and missed out, leaving more for the others. Given the way it went over, Bryant may have to get a bigger batch this year. Haynes, for one, was hoping to enjoy several pieces this time around.
The Lady Raiders (23-8) clinched the No. 1 seed and hosting rights for their area tournament on Tuesday. But they had to take care of business Wednesday to make the chicken a reality.
Six PV players had multiple hits, with Savannah Williams and Cortney Williams each going 3-for-4 with two doubles. Ava Boozer, Bailey Harris, Haynes and Chandler Dorsett (two RBIs) had two hits apiece.
Three pitchers held Wellborn to six hits. Madison Borders started and went two innings. Leah Patterson worked the next four innings, giving up one hit, a run and striking out seven. And Julianna Ballew wrapped it up.
“We already really wanted to go undefeated in the area anyway, but (the chicken) was extra motivation,” Haynes said. “He said before the game if you want some chicken you’re going to have to win.
“He told us this is our home field we need to have some pride in it. We wanted to be undefeated and it’s in our house and you don’t want to lose at your house. The chicken added to it.”
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