COVINGTON, Ga. — Opponents have had a hard time competing against the Peachtree Academy softball team. Nine games into the 2023 season, the Lady Panthers own an unblemished 9-0 record.
Head coach Chris Smith — who is in his seventh year at the helm — expressed that remaining undefeated feels great. He believes there is more on the table for this Peachtree Academy group.
“I take it one game at a time,” Smith said. “Our goal is to go to state and win a state championship. I remember last year, we were trying to build a championship house and I think that’s what we got. We have a solid foundation with that and we’re working toward that goal.”
A state championship run escaped the Lady Panthers last season in a semifinals defeat. They lost a best-of-three series against Calvary Christian to be eliminated from contention.
That setback fueled Peachtree Academy to come back this season with a vengeance.
Featured in the 9-0 record are five double-digit wins and two shutouts. The Lady Panthers have beaten all of their opponents by an average of nine runs.
Their biggest win came by way of a 15-0 score on March 23 against the Young American Christian Lady Eagles.
More important than the scoreboard results, Smith recognized how the players’ determination is a crucial factor to the Lady Panthers’ ultimate mission.
“Based on the effort I’ve seen so far, the girls have that drive and tenacity to get to a state title,” Smith said. “It’s just a matter of getting to the game and doing what they have to.”
Numerous players have lifted their offensive game for Peachtree Academy.
Noelle Boeckman leads her team with 10 RBIs followed by Cara Steele’s nine RBIs, which includes a three-run homer on March 30 against Creekside Christian Academy. Alyssa Hartman and Kami Ortiz each have eight RBIs along with Josie Smith, Savannah Norris and Ansley Hartman’s six RBIs apiece.
In total, eight players have connected on at least five RBIs this year.
Meanwhile, Lexi Moore has been a strikeout machine in the pitcher’s circle. In 14 innings of work across four games, Moore has struck out 23 batters compared to just five walks.
Boeckman has assisted in the pitching effort with 26 total innings registered with 12 strikeouts and nine walks.
The Lady Panthers have been led, too, by senior Kate Chupp. So far in her senior campaign, Chupp has recorded a .400 batting average with four RBIs and four walks.
Chupp’s impact extends into the pitching circle, too, with her four innings of work with five strikeouts and four walks.
Smith wants to continue to see the level of focus the Lady Panthers have displayed thus far.
“The basic fundamentals,” Smith said. “We have to get the basic fundamentals and continue working on those. I’ve never taken for granted what they have, but they got to keep churning away and putting the hard work in. That’s really it.”
Three games remain on Peachtree Academy’s regular season schedule before the playoffs commence. The Lady Panthers face Skipstone on the road April 10 with a home matchup the next day. The regular season finale will be away at Lanier on April 13.
The postseason will be the following week and Peachtree Academy will host the first round as the No. 1 seed.
Despite what the record says and how his team has performed to this point, though, Smith knows there are a lot of important games still out in front of the Lady Panthers.
“Yeah, undefeated is great,” Smith said, “but, if you lose in the championship, it was a great season but it didn’t accomplish our goal.”
