The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE two-time defending champions St Augustine’s College (SAC) Big Red Machine are on a roll so far in the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) junior girls’ softball division.

The Big Red Machine picked up their second straight victory yesterday at SAC by stopping the Kingsway Academy Saints, who marched to their second loss in three games via the 10-run rule in a 17-7 decision.

Winning pitcher Taylor Walters helped her own cause by going 2-for-2 with three runs batted in, scoring three times to lead the attack for SAC.

Alexandria Rolle, Triston Walters and Latia Saunders all had one hit with a RBI. While Rolle and Walters scored twice, Saunders came home once.

St Augustine’s College coach Vernice Russell said they got the win, but they’re still not in any form like they were last year when they repeated as champions.

“We had a good performance. With this team, we have been able to see a number of areas that we need to work on, but I’m pleased with the performance of the team,” Russell said.

When pressed about what areas of concern she has, Russell quickly pointed out: “It’s still early in the game and particularly with the junior girls, we have to work in segments. We can’t just go out and work the whole game. So as time goes on, we have to work on every situation.

“So there’s a lot we have to work on, but as we go on, I see that we are improving.”

Russell said she feels that she has seen some improvement from the Saints. She said they hit the ball, although they didn’t score as many runs as SAC did.

After giving up three runs to the Saints in the first inning, the Big Red Machine responded by batting around the clock in the bottom of the frame. They added six more runs in the second to extend their lead to 17-5 after the Saints had put on two more runs in the second.

In the third, the Saints only managed to score one more on a RBI ground out from India Davis, who drove in Jaria Strachan. Their next two batters got out in order as the game was called in abbreviated fashion.

Kingsway Acadwemy coach Juliette Douglas-Sands said she saw some improvement from her team, despite the loss.

“I made an adjustment using a quicker catcher to deal with SAC because I know they are a team that like to steal,” she said. “I knew if I had a stronger player, they wouldn’t have been able to score as many runs. But we did fairly well. I couldn’t ask for anything more from there.”

As a precaution, Douglas-Sands said they have to continue to get better.

“Each game we realise that there is more that they could work on for the next practice session,” she said. “But we are preparing for the playoffs and each game will get us ready for it.”

Sophie Sands suffered the loss, but she only gave up a total of seven hits to SAC, who scored the majority of their runs on miscues by the Saints. Sands also helped her cause with a RBI single and a run scored.