Lady Dogs hungry to keep Columbus streak going

Published 10:24 am Wednesday, July 31, 2024

A new season approaches for the Georgia Military College Prep softball team, and the end goal remains the same – make it to Columbus.

The west Georgia city serves as the site of the GHSA fastpitch softball championships each year. There the last eight teams standing from every classification duke it out in double-elimination tournaments for their respective state titles. It’s where each of the last two seasons have ended for the Lady Dogs under head coach Jennifer Deason. In her five previous seasons leading the program, three have ended at the state softball mecca short of the top prize.

Deason knows her players are hungry to return and attempt another run.

“We’re excited about this season,” she said. “We’ve got a great group of girls that works hard. The seniors want to make it back to Columbus one last time, and the freshmen want to experience it for the first time. Our sophomores and juniors have had a taste and want to go back. I think everybody’s got the vision of getting back there in October.”

The team will be attempting to do so with a young roster. Of the 13 players, only two are seniors in outfielder Bailey Tipton and All-Everything pitcher Hannah Garner. She threw every single inning for GMC last year and posted a 2.01 earned run average while striking out an astounding 200 batters. That strikeout number may come down in 2024, but not because Garner’s right arm is any less effective.

“She’ll be in the circle one more year for us and we’re expecting more big things from her,” Deason said. “Luckily I do have some freshmen that can help out in the circle if needed.”

And the senior’s contributions aren’t limited to inside the circle. Currently committed to play junior college softball at Georgia Highlands College in northwest Georgia, the right-handed thrower and lefty batter has hit for an over-.500 average two out of her three seasons at the varsity level. She hit .526 a season ago with an astronomical .598 on-base percentage. Similar efforts from the rubber and at the plate could make her a two-time All-County Player of the Year like her predecessor Leah Jannakos.

“We’ve been blessed with her offense,” Deason added of Garner. “She’s just one of those all-around players that can pitch and really play any infield position and she’s always hot at the plate.”

Looking beyond the two seniors in Garner and Tipton, the two youngest classes make up make up the bulk of GMC’s roster. The Lady Dogs will once again need freshmen to step up in order to meet the team’s goal of earning a seat in Columbus. Deason played three ninth-graders consistently last year, and will do so this year as well.

“We’ll be considered a young team because I’ll have three freshmen and three sophomores out there,” the head coach said. “I don’t have a problem with that. If they go in and play to their ability, we’ll be just fine.”

No one outside of Garner earned All-Region or All-County recognition last season, so those younger players are looking to make a name for themselves as they get more and more innings under their belts.

GHSA’s regular reclassification and realignment did nothing to GMC Prep’s region. Glascock and Johnson counties are still the main competition. The Lady Dogs have finished second fiddle to Glascock in the region standings the last two seasons. Deason said she would like for her team to win region this year, but she recognizes that coming up short did not stop GMC from advancing to Columbus in 2022 and ‘23.

Speaking of the road to Columbus, it’s going back to a more traditional route after a departure in recent years. The GHSA is ditching the super regional model for the traditional best-of-three series for the first two rounds of the 32-team bracket. A region title would mean the opportunity to host both of those rounds.

The route doesn’t change the intended destination for GMC Prep softball. It has been and always will be Columbus.

“It’s going to take a team effort, but I really think we’ve got what it takes again this year,” she said.

The Lady Dogs’ road begins Aug. 12 with a home game against West Laurens High School. Region play is scheduled to begin in September.