Ridgeland pitcher Morgan Crawford crosses first base after a line drive to the mound. Heritage’s Katie Proctor (16) reaches for the throw.On a night when emotions were high, the Ridgeland High School softball team kept its focus and came away with an important regular-season victory.
The host Lady Panthers hit early and often in completing a season sweep of Heritage, 6-2, in a game that was delayed a week due to the death of Heritage coach Jason Carter’s daughter, Katie Beth, in an automobile accident 10 days ago.
Carter was back in the dugout Wednesday, but even the coach’s presence couldn’t slow the red-hot Lady Panthers (11-4, 8-1 Region 6-AAAA), who pounded out 10 hits and rode their trio of seniors to a win that puts them within a victory of clinching the top seed in the upcoming region tournament.
“I hate it for Jason,” said Ridgeland coach Richie Wood, who was part of a postgame ceremony in which the school donated to a fund set up to help defray the Carters’ expenses. “He’s a great guy and he will make something positive out of the very bad negative that’s taken place in his family’s lives.
“I’m happy for my girls. I told them all along we expected to be here, and now they’ve taken another step in proving they belong.”