LADY DAWGS READY TO MAKE A RUN

CHANGING THE CULTURE OF PCHS BASEBALL

STORY BY JOSH BOUTWELL

The Pike County Lady Bulldogs come into 2023 with a new head coach as Ryan McCollough takes over the program.

McCollough, an Elba High School and Troy University graduate, is in his first season as a head softball coach. Before coming to Pike County, he spent three years as an assistant coach at Pike Liberal Arts School. McCollough inherits a team that returns a number of starters from a team that finished area runner-up and made it to the regional tournament last season.

“I stepped into a good situation where you return almost every player on a team that went to the regional tournament,” McCollough said. “They’re talented and they’re buying in. We have some normal early season rust to knock off but the girls have really bought into what we want to do and the style we want to play with. We want to be aggressive at the bases and aggressive in the box and they’ve bought into it and I’m excited.”

The majority of Pike County’s leaders from 2022 return this season, including senior Amity White, who signed a scholarship offer to play softball at South Alabama next season.

White boasted a .415 batting average last season with two home runs, seven doubles, five triples, 24 RBIs, 31 runs and 31 stolen bases. On defense, she boasted a .866 fielding percentage.

“Any time you have a Division I commit patrolling centerfield is a good thing,” McCollough said. “Amity White is a dynamic player and a leader and will be in that lead off spot in the lineup. She has superior speed and will be dynamic for us.”

Pitcher Kylan Wilkerson pitched more than 75 percent of innings last season for the Lady Dawgs. In 126 2/3 innings in the circle, she struck out an eye-popping 130 batters and boasted a 2.874 ERA. She was also a menace at the plate for Pike County, tallying a team-high 12 home runs with nine doubles, 34 RBIs, 18 runs and a .481 batting average.

Also back is Takeyah Smith (12 RBIs, 13 runs) and Mikalah Griffin (three home runs, nine RBIs, 20 runs and .316 batting average).

“Takeyah Smith will be playing shortstop for us. She takes control of the defense and makes sure every one lines up in the right spot,” McCollough said. “I had a chance to coach Mikalah Griffin a few years ago (at Pike Lib) and she’s a great leader at first base and she’ll give us some pop in the middle (of the batting order).

“I’d be willing to say that Ky Wilkerson is one of the best players in the area. As a freshman, she struck out over 100 (batters) and hit 14 home runs. She’s back in the circle for us as our No. 1 pitcher and batting in the three or four hole (in the lineup) for us. I can’t say a bad thing about her. We’ve really got good players up and down the lineup, and experienced players, as well. Auriel Moultry, Kaitlin Beaty and Urriya Berry are back, too. It’s a talented and veteran group.”

McCollough said the biggest thing early in the season will be more about him than his players.

“It’s really not about them, it’s mainly just me getting used to making the calls and what I do or don’t like in certain situations,” he said. “I have to see what girls can do and what they need to work at, so we can be better as a team. Everything we do is geared to being the best we can be in May.

“If we struggle or make mistakes in February and early March, that’s all good because we’re learning and getting better. What defenses do we like in certain situations and how our approach changes at the plate, those are things we learn over the course of a season.”

Pike County wants to build on the success that was enjoyed last season and move even further in the postseason.

“We want to advance further than what we did last year,” McCollough emphasized. “This team finished second in the area and advanced to Gulf Shores for the regional tournament. We want to be area champions and show that we can play with some of the best teams in 3A. If things go right, and with a little luck along the way, we’ll give ourselves that opportunity. Once you get to Gulf Shores, it’s anyone’s game.”

Class: 3A

Area: 4 Field: Pike County

High School Softball