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Tigers open new softball era with rout of Bearcats
Apr. 5—ALEXANDRIA — The Alexandria softball team was understandably antsy Friday morning.
After a week of postponements, this seemed to be the best opportunity for the Tigers to finally open their season and launch the careers of a group of heralded freshmen and their first-year head coach. So ready to get the season started, many players were already dressed and ready to go — complete with the customary hair bows — at 11 a.m., over six hours before the first pitch.
"I got up a little early, and I couldn't stop thinking about the game," freshman pitcher Brynlee Humphries said. "I was so excited and ready to play today. We've been looking forward to game days because we knew the talent we have."
"They're all in a group text, and they said they were dressed and ready to play at 11 a.m. today," coach Jared Bourff said after earning his first win as a varsity head coach. "That just tells me that they're ready and they're excited."
The Tigers proved to be more than ready to get started.
Humphries combined with two relievers on a no-hit shutout, and Daisy Bivens doubled and drove in three runs as Alexandria routed the Bearcats 21-0 in a game ended after five innings due to run rule.
Humphries is one of seven freshmen on the Alex roster and one of four — along with right fielder Riley Thomas, shortstop Kinley Webb and catcher Stella Griffin — in the starting lineup. The Bearcats were winless a year ago and will certainly be nowhere near the toughest team the Tigers face this year, but it was a good opportunity for the young group to get those first-game jitters out of the way.
"She's a pretty high-level athlete, but she works hard at her craft," Bourff said of Humphries. "That's why she is what she is. She puts a lot of time and effort into it."
If there were any butterflies on the part of the players, they rarely showed. For Humphries, the nerves that go with a high-school debut showed on her first two pitches, which were high and out of the zone.
"I knew it was my first high-school pitching, but I knew I had to dial it in, and I was ready to go," she said.
Those were the last balls she threw. Her next 21 pitches were all strikes as Humphries struck out all seven batters she faced, with one reaching base on a wild pitch. Junior Natalee Morrow struck out six in her two innings of relief with a walk and a hit batter, and another freshman — Alyssa Brees — entered and delivered a perfect fifth inning with two more strikeouts.
"I feel like we have some great depth," Bourff said. "Natalee came in and gives a different look from what Brynlee gives."
Offensively, Alexandria took advantage of Munce Central wildness, scoring six first-inning runs without benefit of a hit. Bivens delivered the first hit of the game with an RBI single in the second inning as the Tigers added four more to the lead.
Still with only two hits total, Alexandria began adjusting to the Bearcats' pitching in the third. Webb and Morrow each had RBI singles in the frame while Bivens delivered two more runs with a double to the gap in left-center.
It was part of another six-run inning before the Tigers tacked on five more in the fourth.
"After the first inning, we got a better feel for how the ball was coming in, and we started hitting the ball hard and finding some gaps," Bourff said. "That's really what I was looking for. I wanted them to really dial in and get some hits."
Although not a difficult victory, it was an emotional one for the new coach, whose position was in question at one point earlier in the school year.
He credits the support of the community, his family and his players for helping him get to this point.
"These girls, this community, the coaches, it's been powerful," he said. "I'm just thankful to be here. I'm thankful to coach them, and I think they know that. I think that's why we're going to play hard this year. I believe that. It's kind of come full circle for me. I love to be a head coach, and I just want to be a positive influence on anyone's life. I feel like I've been put here in front of these girls at Alexandria Community, and I'll do it to the best of my ability, and I'll do it the right way."
The Tigers will travel to Cowan for a Saturday morning doubleheader before beginning the Madison County Tournament on Tuesday with a visit to defending regional champion Madison-Grant.
Contact Rob Hunt at
or 765-640-4886.
