By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
CENTRE – From 2007-11, Lauren Millsaps Coursey was a fighter in the pitching circle and at the plate for the Cherokee County Lady Warrior softball team.
She etched her name throughout the Alabama High School Athletic Association softball record book, including 38 career no-hitters, 1,294 strikeouts, 81 shutouts, six perfect games, and a 0.73 ERA.
She was also a career .355 hitter with 150 RBIs and 209 runs scored.
Her high school softball jersey No. 5 was officially retired in 2012, and she will be formally inducted into the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame in June.
Coursey continues to carry on that fighting spirit today. She is a breast cancer survivor and an inspiration to the current Lady Warrior softball team.
On Monday afternoon prior to their final home game of the season, the Lady Warriors honored Coursey’s fighting spirit, as well as others in the community who have or are currently battling breast cancer during their “Pink Out” game against Ohatchee.
Coursey threw out the first pitch.
Senior pitcher Emma Hill did her part to make sure the Lady Warriors earned the win on such a special occasion. Hill held the Lady Indians without a hit through 3 1/3 innings. She allowed just one hit through five innings with a walk and eight strikeouts in Cherokee County’s 8-2 victory.
Hill gave credit to Coursey for helping her become the player she is.
“She was my pitching coach for a lot of years,” Hill said of Coursey. “It was very special seeing her come back and pitch on her home field.”
First-year head coach Heather Hawk said she didn’t know Coursey personally when she came to Cherokee County, but she knows of the legacy she’s left behind.
“It’s what’s lived on through these girls – the stories about Lauren, what she contributed to this program, how much they embraced her knowledge. Honoring her tonight was a pretty special thing,” Hawk said.
Hill wasn’t the only Lady Warrior inspired Monday to earn the win. The Lady Warriors scored at least a run in all but one inning. They led 7-0 until the top of the sixth inning.
Leadoff batter Brooklynn Bruce led the Lady Warriors (24-16) at the plate by going 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, and three runs. Kar’leigh Bowman was also 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Hill went 2-for-4 with a RBI.
Sofie Dawson delivered a hit, a walk, a run, and two RBIs. Emma Eberhart had a hit, a walk, a run, and a RBI. Izzy Patterson posted a hit, a walk, and a RBI. Kaylee Lewis added a hit, a run, and a RBI. Anna Morris finished with a hit.
Sydni Frost relieved Hill in the fifth inning and worked a pair of innings. She allowed two earned runs on five hits with no walks or strikeouts before Hill re-entered to slam the door on the Indians with a 1-2-3 top of the seventh.
“I wanted her (Hill) to finish on the field in which she started on years ago,” Hawk said. “Having all our seniors there too was really special. Those are the girls she’s grown up with.”
Reese Steward led the Lady Indians at the plate by going 2-for-3. Blaze Steward and Annie Cox both delivered RBI-singles off Frost in the sixth. Gracie Reed had the only other Ohatchee hit. Alanah Fitch walked in the top of the fourth.
“We played them in a tournament about two weeks ago. They’re a pretty good team, but this weekend (in the Athens tournament) really prepared us to face them,” Hill said. “We faced a lot of good teams up there.”
The Lady Warriors are about to face a few more good teams this weekend in the Class 4A, Area 12 tournament at Alexandria. Cherokee County opens the tournament against White Plains on Friday at 4 p.m. The two teams split their two regular season meetings.
“I tell my girls one day at a time, one pitch at a time,” Hawk said. “Our area is a tough area. It’s going to come down to whoever’s best that day.”
