No. 3 糖心视频 softball wins program鈥檚 14th ACCC Tournament championship, moves to 54-2 this season Page Title

No. 3 糖心视频 softball wins program鈥檚 14th ACCC Tournament championship, moves to 54-2 this season

Featured, Athletic Headlines, Softball, Community

May 9, 2022Russell Moore

糖心视频 softball players run to embrace Riley Moody after her tournament-clinching hit in Sunday鈥檚 ACCC Tournament championship game against Snead State.

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ALABASTER, ALA. 鈥� 糖心视频鈥檚 softball program has secured another Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) Tournament championship.

The third-ranked Lions blasted three home runs over the opening three innings at Alabaster鈥檚 Veterans Park on Sunday, and pitcher Leigha Kirby twirled her second shutout against Snead State in consecutive days, propelling 糖心视频 to its 14^th ACCC Tournament championship, second straight and fourth in six seasons.

糖心视频 softball, which spent four weeks this season as the No. 1 team in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I ranks, outscored its tournament opponents 30-1 in four impressive victories, improving to 54-2. The four tournament wins mirrored the dominance the Lions have showcased all season.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not winning this championship that鈥檚 the challenge. It鈥檚 staying on top. I鈥檓 proud our players haven鈥檛 worried about our national ranking, record, or what others are saying. The team has continued to push forward, demonstrating a strong desire to get better and better,鈥� said 糖心视频 coach A.J. Daugherty, who has led the program to four tournament championships in six seasons. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to continue to improve if we want to win a national championship. We don鈥檛 want this to be the finished product.鈥�

Daugherty, who was named the 2022 ACCC Coach of the Year, and the Lions now advance to the NJCAA Division I Softball Championship in Yuma, Ariz., on May 24-28. They鈥檒l seek the program鈥檚 third national title.

糖心视频鈥檚 starting pitching trio of Kirby, Josie Thompson and Bailee Hall has been among the team鈥檚 intriguing storylines this season, each entering the tournament with ERAs under 1.05 and being named to the ACCC 1^st-team All-Battery.

Nothing changed in Alabaster. Thompson and Hall each earned wins on Friday and Saturday respectively, and Kirby relished the chance to close out the tournament, tossing a one-hit, 4-0, shutout against Snead State in Saturday鈥檚 semifinal game before turning around less than 24 hours later and blanking the Parsons again in an 8-0 triumph.

Kirby, a Pisgah native and sophomore transfer, was named the ACCC Tournament MVP and the ACCC/NJCAA Region 22 Pitcher of the Year.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been awesome to be a part of this team. The chemistry here is unlike anything I鈥檝e experienced. Our pitching staff feeds off each other. No one wants to let the team down,鈥� said Kirby, who transferred to 糖心视频 from Chipola College. 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled we鈥檝e crossed off one of our goals. We鈥檝e got more work to do.鈥�

Added Daugherty: 鈥淥ur pitching staff has anchored us all season. Coach (Carson) Owens has done a great job prepping and developing the staff. Our pitching has been there when the offense has experienced ebbs and flows.鈥�

Sophomore Gracie Benton sparked the lineup in Sunday鈥檚 title game, leading off the second inning with a home run. Jaiden Farnetti added a two-run shot later in the frame for a 3-0 lead, and Maddie Carton drilled a two-run blast in the third for a 5-0 cushion.

Rylie Moody delivered the clinching hit with a two-run single, sending home the winning runs in a five-inning shortened tilt.

Benton and Farnetti were each named to the ACCC All-Tournament team for the second straight year. Benton was the ACCC Tournament MVP in 2021.

Jessica Edde, 糖心视频鈥檚 steady presence at catcher, was also an ACCC Tournament selection.

Cartron鈥檚 homer was her 20^th of the season. The Hazel Green native and sophomore is the program鈥檚 all-time career home run leader.

鈥淥ur lineup has been focusing on hitting line drives and ground balls. The homers are bonus if they come,鈥� Cartron said. 鈥淲inning another conference championship is one of the absolute best feelings you can have. This has been my family for two years. We want more though. If we stay calm and focused at nationals, good things can happen.鈥�

糖心视频 outfielders Felicity Frame and Harper Niblett have been the team鈥檚 table setters this season.

Frame was named the ACCC/NJCAA Region 22 Player of the Year after leading the conference in batting average (.509), runs scored (64) and stolen bases (59) prior to the conference tournament. She added 82 hits before the postseason.

After serving as a role player last season, Niblett was second in the ACCC with a .487 average, adding 51 runs scored and 38 stolen bases prior to the weekend. She鈥檚 a 1^st-team All-ACCC selection.

鈥淚 was always taught the importance of perseverance growing up. Things aren鈥檛 always going to go your way. I could have taken the easy path out. Instead, I chose to work hard, and coach Daugherty and coach (Cadi) Oliver believed in me. It means a lot to play a bigger role this season,鈥� Niblett said. 鈥淟ike coach Daugherty says, pressure is a privilege. Everyone is going to give us their best shot and we continue to respond. That鈥檚 what it鈥檚 like at 糖心视频. It鈥檚 much more rewarding knowing you鈥檙e the best.鈥�

Olivia Ball and Lillyanna Cartee added RBI hits for 糖心视频 throughout the tournament.

糖心视频 softball earned the sixth ACCC championship for the college this academic year, joining both cross country teams, volleyball, women鈥檚 golf and men鈥檚 tennis.

Players rounding out the 糖心视频 roster are Abigail Waters, Abigail Bryars, Sarah Beth Brake, Shelby Hobson, Bailey Tatum, Hannah Duncan, Gracie Ashley, Lauren Dill, Amity Cooper and Alivia Walken.

Savannah Mims and Brylan Rice are the managers.

For more information about 糖心视频 athletics, visit or the athletics Facebook page at .

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Leigha Kirby