Scott County softball a contender again with Ada Little’s return
Scott County softball has that look again.
It’s the look of a team ranked No. 5 in the state.
And it’s the look of a roster that has its ace, Ada Little, back in the lineup.
“This season’s definitely been a lot different team-wise. … I know, personally, this is probably the most fun I’ve ever had playing with a group of girls,” said Little, a senior Georgia commit who struck out 12 in the Cardinals’ 3-1 win Tuesday over visiting Lexington Catholic, the defending 11th Region champions.
The win improved Scott County to 16-2 overall, the best mark among 11th Region contenders this season.
“A lot of people had their opinions about us before we came into the season,” Little said. “We knew what we were capable of. I think proving that, especially over the past few weeks, has made us a lot closer. And I think that’s the driving force behind this team.”
A season of frustration in 2024
It must be noted that Little, one of the team’s best hitters and its primary pitcher since she was an eighth grader in 2021, stepped away from the game in the middle of last season as the Cardinals struggled early with six losses in their first 11 games.
The Cardinals rallied to finish the season 16-10 without her, but got swamped 11-1 in the 42nd District Tournament semifinals by Frederick Douglass. That ended a 17-year district title streak for the 10-time region champions and three-time state champions.
This year, Scott County coach Mike Wagoner and Little said the team has turned the page on last season’s frustrations.
“The only thing I would really say about looking back at last year is that we’ve moved on from that,” Wagoner said. “It’s great to have her here. She’s been a tremendous leader on our team this year and she pitched a great game tonight.”
In today’s high school sports era, it’s still rare, but not unprecedented for athletes to give up high school play to focus on developing on their own or with their club team. One of Little’s potential future Georgia teammates, Paris, Kentucky, native Jaydyn Goodwin, played basketball for Bourbon County High School, but never suited up for the Colonels’ softball team.
Little spoke openly about the issue but said there wasn’t really a “big reason” she stepped back last season.
“I think that’s behind us. Me and Mike have really created a good relationship this year,” Little said. “I trust him. He trusts me and that’s a really big deal coming back from last year’s situation.”
Cardinals junior third baseman Aubrey Wigginton, the team’s leading hitter with a .500 average just ahead of Little’s .490 mark, acknowledged the team missed Little.
Having her back “just brings everyone back together, because she’s a rock for this team,” Wigginton said. “I think coming into this season, we knew everyone was coming back, and we were going to be whole again. So, we kind of told ourselves that everything’s back to normal.”
Back to being Scott County
Normal for Scott County means four players hitting better than .400 on the season and six more hitting no worse than .378.
At the KHSAA’s last statewide statistical update, the Cardinals ranked first in the 11th Region in team batting average (.417), runs scored (166 for 9.76 per game), hits (199), RBI (154) and earned-run average (0.93).
Little has a 13-2 record with 157 strikeouts and a 0.61 ERA, numbers that rank her among the top 10 in the state in each category. She also leads the team with six home runs and 25 RBI.
Little, Lauren Jones and Hadley Swint each had RBI singles against Lexington Catholic’s Abby Hammond on Tuesday, though the Cards also squandered some other scoring chances against the senior Kentucky commit who has pitched the Knights to two 11th Region titles and a state finals appearance during her varsity career.
“We have a lot to improve on, still,” Wigginton said. “I think we’ve all learned that it’s really mental for us. We’ll see a pitcher like Abby Hammond and it’s just a mental game where we trick ourselves into thinking that we’re not as good as we are. And it’s just that we get in our own heads.”
Nursing a 2-1 lead against the Knights in the sixth inning, the Cardinals faced a bases-loaded situation with one out after Little walked one batter, hit another then allowed a swinging bunt for a hit in quick succession.
Wagoner called a timeout and gathered his infield inside the circle.
“I go out to the mound and I tell them, obviously, we can’t let these runs score,” Wagoner said. “We’ve got to keep the ball in front of us.”
Wigginton fielded a grounder to third and got a force-out at home for the second out. Sophomore first baseman Gracie Strong fielded the next grounder and, despite an awkward step, beat the LexCath runner to the bag to end the threat.
“I’m super proud of them for staying focused in that inning,” Wagoner said. “Bases all of a sudden are loaded. Pressure’s on. That was a huge inning defensively for us.”
Aiming for postseason success
Scott County’s only losses this season have come to Warren, Ohio’s Division III No. 24 Howland at a Tennessee tournament on March 29, and to Louisville’s No. 2 Assumption at a Harrison County showcase on Saturday. The 5-1 loss to the Rockets was the Cardinals’ third game in three days.
“I think a lot of girls weren’t expecting to be that tired and play that good of a team. … It’s not easy, and that’s a very well-disciplined team,” Little said of Assumption. “I think we realized we need to be more disciplined, not only on the field, but off the field — more warming up, having intent and going into the game with a plan.”
Scott County already has two 42nd District wins in hand and will try for a sweep of No. 20 Frederick Douglass when the Broncos visit at 6 p.m. Friday. The Cardinals beat Douglass 8-0 on March 27 at The Farm. Regular season games against defending 42nd District champion Bryan Station are scheduled for April 30 on the Northside and May 6 at home.
Regaining the 42nd District championship and being able to contend for a region title again top the Cards’ agenda.
“That’s a big priority of mine and the leaders on this team,” Little said. “I think a lot of the younger girls are kind of getting a taste of not just winning, but varsity in itself. Everybody’s kind of aware that we have to work together to get there and I think we’re slowly making steps in the right place. You know, last weekend (the loss to Assumption) wasn’t the way we wanted it to go, but we all kind of accepted what happened, learned from it, and said, ‘You know, we needed that.’ And I think today was a really good example of us working together.”
