SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — One of the most important positions to fill in softball is pitcher. Social Circle will not have one, but two seniors who can step in during any given situation and help lead the Lady Redskins in 2022.
Madalyn Spinks and Macy Langley have seemed to become Social Circle’s dynamic duo in the pitcher’s circle. Having dominant pitching has made first-year head coach Chris Davis’ job a lot easier.
“To have [strong pitching] in place in our sport is like already have a quarterback when you take over a football team,” Davis said. “If you’re going to go somewhere and build a team, the first thing you’d say is, ‘give me some strong pitching.’”
Spinks and Langley are riding into their senior years as the reigning Co-Region Pitchers of the Year from a year ago. They were both instrumental in the Lady Redskins’ top four finish in the state last year, too.
Though they’re both pitchers, they each bring something different to the table.
For starters, Langley is a right-handed pitcher while Spinks is a lefty. Langley feels like they complement each other in their approach and it disrupts opposing batters.
“[Madeline is a lefty], so it gives [opposing batters] a different viewpoint,” Langley said. “Our speeds are not off by much, but we can still change our speeds here and there. Whenever I come out of the game, I feel confident she can come in and shut them down and vice versa.”
While both are different stylistically and in their techniques, Langley and Spinks have a mutual admiration for one another.
According to Spinks, that was evident right away when they first started playing together in middle school.
“I remember when [Macy] got here, she was fantastic,” Spinks said. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ Now that we’re up there together and we’re such great friends, I think that’s why we work so well together. We have a good skillset together and we have a good relationship.”
Spinks and Langley’s different styles of pitching produced similar results in 2021.
For Langley, she registered 81.1 innings pitched with 11 starts. In her outings, Langley recorded a 2.15 ERA, 57 strikeouts and left 60 runners on base.
Last year’s success setup Langley’s goals for this upcoming season.
“I want to have a batting average above .500, I want my earned run average to be below a 2.00 and I want to go into college feeling ready and that I can compete at that level,” Langley said.
Spinks’ junior season statistics were eerily similar to her counterparts’.
In 71.2 innings of work in the circle, Spinks started 14 games for the Lady Redskins last season. She earned a 3.126 ERA along with 60 strikeouts and left 52 runners stranded on base.
Spinks has challenged herself to get better with her overall game this season.
“I can always be faster, throw more strikes and get stronger,” Spinks said. “There’s always a way to improve and be able to strike more people out.”
In addition to both individuals playing the same position, Langley and Spinks are two of the Lady Redskins’ four seniors this year.
Both players recognized the extra responsibility they feel with the title of senior leader. But, for Langley, it comes with the territory.
“We have a lot of younger girls and I feel like it’s the seniors’ job to help them feel comfortable and get prepared,” Langley said. “If you give them that confidence, they’ll perform better in the games.”
As a matter of fact, Spinks is ready to hit the ground running this season and see what this year’s team can do. Spinks is optimistic for the Lady Redskins’ chances at another trip to Columbus.
“I think we’re absolutely going to go deep in the playoffs,” Spinks said. “As long as I do my best for my team and that I’ve put everything I can out there so they can do what they have to and we work together.”
