Softball: East Jackson season ends with shutout losses

The resurgent Eagles’ season ended Monday with shutout losses to no. 7 Union County (8-0) and East Hall (7-0) at the 8-AA tournament at Jackson County. Both teams were from the other side of the region, 8-AA North.

“I think the thing that we saw is that the other side of the region, they’re really competitive this year, (teams) one through five,” said coach Jason Rainey, whose team finished 7-15-1.

Rainey pointed out that his team’s opponent in the second game, fifth-seeded East Hall, beat subregion champion Fannin County during the year.

“What you saw was a whole season of intense play (in that subregion),” Rainey said. “I think it showed yesterday.”

East Jackson entered the postseason coming off a 6-4 win over Hart County and had won three out of its last five games, including a 4-1 win over Jefferson Sept. 22. But it couldn’t generate any offense in either game Monday.

“We hit some balls hard in the second game — they just caught them,” Rainey said. “I can’t fault that.”

Though the season ended in disappointing fashion, the Eagles can build upon their late-season improvement, Rainey said.

“I’m proud that we played better in the second half,” Rainey said. “That showed signs of improvement. All we can do is take the positive from it.”

But East Jackson’s quick exit in the region tournament also taught a lesson.

“The further you go, the more the weaknesses show,” Rainey said. “We also saw the last two games how far we have to go. I think that’s the big deal. That’s what we’ve got to take from it.”

The good news for East Jackson is that it loses just one senior from this year’s squad as Rainey points a number of returning starters for 2012. That list includes Brittany Nolan, who started every game at third base the past two years and hit. 385 this season; Kelsey Palette, who will be a senior next year after starting every game this year; first baseman Arynn Baker, who enjoyed a breakthrough freshman season during which she hit .350; Kristen Whitlock, who started every game in centerfield as a freshman; and the pitcher-catcher combo of Taylor Nix and Emily Turner.

“Hopefully that will get us started and we can fill in the pieces from there,” Rainey said.