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48SS
THREE RIVERS EDITION/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE DIAMOND ROUNDUP SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2020
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Shelby Tindall throws the ball back to the pitcher while warming up between innings.
Olivia Self fields a ground ball during a warmup.
PHOTOS BY STACI VANDAGRIFF/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION
Junior Makenna Keeton delivers a pitch during a game against Dardanelle on March 5 at Dardanelle City Park.
MORRILTON BASEBALL
APRIL 2 ............................................... ALMA APRIL 3 ........................................... OZARK* APRIL 6 ........ CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN APRIL 7 ................................. @FARMINGTON APRIL 9 ..................................... MAYFLOWER APRIL 10 ......................................... DOVER* APRIL 13 ................ FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE APRIL 14 ............................... @POTTSVILLE* APRIL 17 ............................... CLARKSVILLE* APRIL 20 .............. @FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE APRIL 21 ........................... HEBER SPRINGS* APRIL 23 ........................................ CONWAY APRIL 24 .................... @SUBIACO ACADEMY*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
MORRILTON SOFTBALL continued from 47SS
said she needs to be faster,” Binnie-Poteete said. “She currently throws in the high 50s, but most Division I schools are wanting mid-60s.”
Binnie-Poteete said Keeton and senior Graci Thomas meet with a personal trainer at 5 a.m. three times a week.
“Last year, Graci was injured and had a cou- ple of knee surgeries and didn’t start until spring break,” Binnie-Poteete said. “She is absolutely crushing it right now, and she has some offers and visits [from college coaches] right now.
“She is probably one of the toughest and stub- born kids I have ever coached. Her attitude is ‘whatever you need me to do, whatever is best for the team.’ She is 100 percent a team player. She wants to contribute, and she wants to win.”
In 23 games, Thomas batted .418 with 22 RBIs and 6 doubles.
Thomas was in the lineup last year, merely for offense, and this year will start at third base, the coach said. Junior Loren Reynolds, who has
committed to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, will play shortstop this year.
“Loren is a leader by example,” Binnie-Poteete said. “She is not very loud or very local, but she comes early and stays late and takes extra ground balls.
“She works real hard and doesn’t settle for anything less than perfect.”
Senior Shelby Tindall is one of the team’s best power hitters, the coach said. Tindall has signed at National Park College in Hot Springs and has been working with a lot of college coaches as well. Last year, Tindall batted .297 with 13 runs scored, 24 RBIs and 4 home runs.
“She has grown a lot, and if you look at her lower half, there has definitely been a bulk up a little bit,” Binnie-Poteete said. “We are waiting to see how much it will improve her game.”
Senior Abbie Jo Bane will return at catcher as a defensive specialist, the coach said.
“Our JV team is also crushing a lot of home runs,” Binnie-Poteete said. “Overall, the program itself is developing so well.”
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