Evans softball team wants to finish

The slogan on the back of T-shirts worn by members of the Evans softball team says "Unfinished Business."

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The Knights were left with a sour taste in their mouths after Greenbrier bounced them from the Class AAAA playoffs last year in controversial fashion. Coach Colette Cassedy's team started 2-0 in Region 3-AAAA before playing Glenn Hills on Tuesday and is ranked No. 2 in the latest GaSports.com/GACA Coaches Softball Poll.

"Their goal is to get to the state finals," said Cassedy, whose team lost 3-2 to the Wolfpack for the right to go to Columbus last season. "They want to finish what they started last year."

The Knights are led by pitchers Laura Brown and Jenny Shepherd. Shepherd made her first start of the season on Sept. 4 after battling a nerve problem with her elbow.

She wore a black sleeve over the elbow but showed no signs that it bothered her in the Knights' 10-1 win against the Lady Bulldogs. Shepherd faced only one more than the minimum number of batters, giving up a walk to Harlem outfielder Alex Johnson, who came around to score.

Shepherd struck out the other three batters that opening inning.

Cassedy said the pitcher's injury has never been an issue, and that Shepherd was sitting out as a precaution.

"She did her job," Cassedy said.

At the plate, Shepherd went 3-for-4 with a home run and scored three times during the game, which was shortened to five innings.

Harlem coach Mike Leverett, whose Lady Bulldogs are competing for the first time as a Class AAAA school, said earlier in the season he expected his team to compete with the Knights.

"We just kicked the ball around again," he said. "We should have gotten out of the first. You can't make errors against Evans and win."

Leverett said he expected the Knights would throw their best pitcher, it being a region game. Brown came on late to close things out.

But the game was well in hand when Shepherd left. She followed the outing with a 15-strikeout performance against Class A Social Circle, and added a three-run home run.

She said last year's loss to the Wolfpack is still fresh on her mind.

"We're coming back this year strong," she said.