Surging Ringgold readies for softball postseason

photo Abby McKinney slings the ball towards home plate during a softball game at Ringgold High School in Ringgold, GA on August 11, 2014.

RINGGOLD, Ga. -- Shane Pendley knew something was up right away.

Not that the first-year Ringgold High School softball coach minded. In fact, his initial practice in August was a sign of things to come for a team that already has clinched the Region 6-AAA regular-season title and a state playoff berth.

"These girls love to play softball," said Pendley, a veteran coach who stepped in after Rachel Hodge decided to concentrate on her family. "I'm used to coming early for practice, but they come even earlier, which is something I've never seen. I told them to show up at 9:30 and I got there 30 minutes early and the girls were already there.

"I've coached a lot of places, but I've never seen girls who will consistently show up early and work so hard. Their dedication to play has been a big surprise to me."

Ringgold (22-3, 14-0) has no seniors and lost its first two games, but behind junior pitcher Abby McKinney and a talented group of first- and second-year players, it has more than righted the ship. According to McKinney, who is 14-2 with a 1.30 earned run average and is the team's leading hitter at .494, the willingness of the younger players to adapt has been the biggest key to the success.

"I've never been on a team with so many good players," she said. "With most teams if someone gets hurt you just put someone in and hope they do OK, but with this team there is no dropoff. It's crazy how much talent there is on the bench, and they've all been willing to do whatever it takes."

Pendley, who admits to being old-school in his demand for discipline and detail, is effusive in his praise for McKinney and her leadership within the team. The veteran coach can't, however, resist the urge to motivate her.

"We've leaned a lot on Abby lately," he said. "She lost her first two games, but she's been great since. Her stuff is electric, but she battles her control sometimes. She's a very hard worker and our pitching coach, Laura Geddis, works her really hard, and she's a perfectionist like me. That's really the last missing piece for her, the control, and when her control is on she's lights out."

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The pitcher admits her season turned around when she realized, with Geddis' help, that success in the circle involves more than just speed.

"I thought it was all about striking people out -- and it is nice to be able to do that -- but I've realized it's all about getting the batter to make bad contact," said McKinney, who still gets her share of strikeouts (137 in 91 innings). "I used to feel like I had to do it all by myself and strike everybody out, but now I know I've got good players behind me."

The Region 6-AAA tournament begins next Saturday in Dalton. Despite having a state spot secured, the Lady Tigers know that winning the tourney championship is crucial but won't be easy. Defending Class AA champion Calhoun, whom Ringgold has beaten twice on late rallies, will be hungry for revenge.

"We've been able to come up with the plays when we needed them against Calhoun," Pendley said. "The first game gave us a lot of confidence because we weren't sure yet if we could win those type games. I'm sure we'll have to beat them twice to win the region title, and that's a big challenge."

The region champion would get to host the first two rounds of playoffs before the field of eight decides things in Columbus, something McKinney is already stressing to her teammates.

"The big thing is we need to host those first two rounds," she said, before adding something Ringgold fans already know. "No matter what happens, though, this team does not give up. In the first few innings, for whatever reason, we seem to come out flat, but we always come on. If we played like that the entire game, we would cruise. I guess it's just part of being young, but we keep it interesting."

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.

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