Package deal
- Updated: February 28, 2022
Weaver’s Lawrence twins sign to play softball at Stillman; Tiana also will play volleyball; includes Monday’s results
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
WEAVER — Taylor and Tiana Lawrence have been doing things together literally since the day they were born.
The Weaver twins go to class together, play sports together, work in the assistant principal’s office together, went on college visits together and now they’ll be playing college ball together after signing today as a package deal to play softball at Stillman College.
Taylor is the older of the two (by one minute), a slap-hitting outfielder currently batting .421 with five RBIs. Tiana is the taller twin (by four inches) and a power-hitting second baseman, batting .474 with a homer and six RBIs. They’re going to room together at college and initially study the same major.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever coached sisters as close as these two,” said Weaver coach Gary Atchley, their mentor since 8U youth ball. “I would be surprised if they went to college separate and didn’t go together. I imagine they’ll take all their classes together.”
Going to the same school was important to them. Only one other of their suitors, Bevill State, pursued them as a package deal. They ultimately chose Stillman, Taylor said, because “it felt more like a home.”
“When we decided to think about college we always wanted to go together, never apart because we’ve never really been apart and we’ve always done everything together,” Taylor said. “We wanted to find a college that would take both of us.
“We came across Stillman and were so blessed to have Coach (Joel) Penfield look at us like, ‘Oh wow, it’s a package deal.’ We’ve always been a package deal.”
“A lot of people have come to us and asked what would happen if we went to different schools,” Tiana said. “We’d be like we would try our best to stay together and find a school that would take both of us.”
As much as the twins are two peas in a pod, there is one difference that you won’t notice until they get on the field.
Taylor, who was born on the right side, is left-handed, as are several members of the family. Tiana is right-handed.
The twins will play their first game as college signees later today when the Lady Bearcats host Gadsden City.
MONDAY’S SOFTBALL SCORES
Ohatchee 11, Saks 0
Pleasant Valley 7, Jacksonville 6
Randolph County 9, Wellborn 4
Weaver 13, Gadsden City 3
WEAVER 13, GADSDEN CITY 3: Alana Cooper went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, Sydney Bitzer drove in three runs and the twins combined for three hits for the Lady Bearcats.
Weaver extended a 4-3 lead with six runs in the fifth and walked it off with three in the sixth. Cooper had a two-run single in the final inning and Bitzer knocked in the walk-off run with a ground out. Kynlee Fulmer went the distance for the win.
PLEASANT VALLEY 7, JACKSONVILLE 6: Lily Henry hit a two-run homer in the first, Haylie Lee hit a two-run double in the fifth to give her team a 7-4 lead and the Lady Raiders held on in their fourth one-run game in the last three days. Henry went 4-for-4 with three RBIs in the game.
“I was proud of my team grinding one out after the gauntlet I put them through,” PV coach David Bryant said.
OHATCHEE 11, SAKS 0: Kylee Barnes pitched five shutout innings and Mackenzie Luna homered for the Lady Indians. Hannah Fitch had a double, triple and three RBIs, Savannah Reaves knocked in two runs and Brylie Myer had two hits.
RANDOLPH COUNTY 9, WELLBORN 4: The Lady Tigers struck early, jumping to an 8-0 lead after three innings. Chaluncie Denny went 4-for-4 and Ansley Pike 3-for-3 for Randolph County.
Wellborn avoided the shutout when Delana Stephens hit a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh. Autumn Parsons went 3-for-3 for the Lady Panthers.
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