Outstanding season for Dougherty softball ends with two best batting averages in the state

Dougherty High’s softball season came to an abrupt end Wednesday afternoon when they lost to Shaw of Columbus in the region playoffs – a team the Lady Trojans had already beaten this year. The Lady Trojans had their sights set on the state playoffs after finishing third in the region behind Northside of Columbus and Cairo. Despite the untimely loss, the Lady Trojans had probably the best softball season in years for the Lady Trojans, finishing with a record of 18-6. Two of the main reasons the Lady Trojans did so well this season were Denver Bryant and Jana Lee.

Most young girls in Albany don’t play softball. There are not many opportunities for girls until they get to middle school, but Bryant and Lee started playing much earlier and that has led them both major college division one scholarships. Bryant will be playing at Auburn University next year, Lee – who is still a junior and will be back for another year – has committed to Southern Mississippi.

“I didn’t start playing softball until ninth grade,” Bryant said. “But I’ve been playing baseball with my brothers and sisters since I was two.”

Lee got her start with T-ball at age five and has never stopped. Her mother, and head softball coach ?Chanta Lee didn’t start out wanting Jana to play softball.

“When I had a little girl, I wanted her to be a gymnast,” Chanta Lee said. “That’s what I wanted, but Jana didn’t like gymnastics and when she was five a friend asked me to sign Jana up for T-ball, so I did. She’s been playing since.”

Since there was no gymnastics, acting as mom and coach has been a blessing for Chanta Lee.

“This year has been really good,” she said. “It is great to have Denver and Jana on the same team, but what I am most proud of is how the other girls have stepped up and worked hard and improved. We’ve gotten so much better as the season has developed.”

There is no county or city softball leagues for young girls so Bryant got her skills on the baseball diamond with family. As she got older, Lee joined travel ball teams. So Bryant and Lee had opportunities to work on their game like most in Albany do not. And it shows.

Bryant played third base this season for the Lady Trojans. At the end of the season she has the best batting average in the state of Georgia in Class 4A – a staggering .759 average. In 54 at bats this season she has belted 11 home runs, seven triples and 12 doubles. She has knocked in 36 runs and recorded an .824 on base percentage.

Right behind Bryant’s average was Lee’s. Jana Lee finished the season with a .700 average – good for second in the state. She smacked seven home runs, two triples and 12 doubles. But that only tells half of the story.

Lee pitched every game. In 103 innings pitched, she recorded a 0.48 earned run average, struck-out 221 batters and recorded 16 wins on the mound for the Lady Trojans.

Bryant and Lee had big hopes of pushing deeper into the playoffs, but Shaw scored two runs in the seventh inning to break a tie and win the game. The Lady Trojans built an early 4-1 lead, but couldn’t hold on. Dougherty only gave up two hits in the game, but committed 10 errors.

Bryant and Lee will both now turn to basketball for the Lady Trojans but will continue their first love of softball at the same time. And Bryant intends to play baseball for the Dougherty team in the spring before she moves to Auburn where she will pursue a degree in sports medicine. Lee will be back for one more year with the Lady Trojans.

Coach Chanta Lee is planning to keep as many of the softball girls working on their skills year-round as she can to keep Dougherty’s softball program headed in the right direction.

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Staff Photo: Joe Whitfield