Terrell Academy softball heads to state playoffs

After winning only one game a year ago, the Lady Eagles of Terrell Academy are headed to the GISA state playoffs for the first time in five years. With a 9-9 record the Lady Eagles finished third in Region 3-AA and will travel to Sandersville to face Brentwood on Tuesday afternoon in a best of three series. Head Coach Robbie Brogdon and the Lady Eagles are excited to continue playing.

“I feel really good about where we are and what the future looks like for Terrell Academy softball,” Brogdon said during practice Wednesday.

This is the second year Brogdon has coached the Lady Eagles and most of the team are underclassmen. Only two seniors, shortstop Gaila Price and catcher Sierra Brogdon, are on the team. But those two seniors have been extremely important to the success of the team, Brogdon said.

“I think this shows just how hard we have worked this year as a team,” Sierra Brogdon said. “I am really so proud of each of us for being here and making the playoffs. Now we just have to focus on the little things because that can make things go either way. We just have to stay focused and stay level.”

“The leadership from these two has been off the charts,” Robbie Brogdon said. “They have done an incredible job in helping the young players improve and stay focused. Gaila leads by example. She works very hard and the others see that. The way Sierra handles herself and her duties as catcher and a team leader is excellent. She is also batting .551 on the year and has only struck out twice. They both will be difficult to replace next year.”

Besides the two seniors, Brogdon said the team has benefited heavily from the addition of a transfer from Deerfield Windsor in Emily Sosbee who is batting .471 on the year and has helped defensively. Sosbee’s family has moved to Dawson and enrolled before the school year at Terrell Academy.

“I am excited to be here with a great team,” Sosbee said Wednesday. “I heard a lot about last year, but the team has improved a lot. I am excited to be able to go to the playoffs with this group and maybe help some of the younger players as well.”

“Emily has been a big addition,” Brogdon said. “Now we have another excellent hitter in the lineup so it’s more difficult for teams to try and pitch around Sierra. She usually plays third base for us, but she can play anywhere on the field.”

One of the most important things that has created success for the Lady Eagles is base running. Brogdon said smart base running has made a big difference, especially in tight games.

“We run the bases really, really well,” he said. “A lot of teams don’t emphasize base running, but with the way we play softball it is extremely important. We play a lot of small ball, moving runners over, so you have to be smart and aggressive on the bases.”

An indication of that success might be that Terrell Academy has stolen 104 bases this season.

“We only have a couple of girls that are really fast,” he said. “We are just smart on the bases and we run aggressively.”

The Lady Eagles will be counting on sophomore pitcher Allie DeBary to carry the load on the mound when they face Brentwood. Brogdon said the team does have other pitchers that can come in if needed, but he is counting on DeBary to keep the Eagles in the game. Freshmen Emily Moore and Grace Wilkerson are two possibilities to head to the mound if things get tough for DeBary.

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Staff Photo: Joe Whitfield