Senior softball pitcher has right stuff for Madison Academy
FLORENCE – Madison Academy senior Cataryna Schreiber came out on the short end of a pitcher’s duel on the first day and second round of the Class 3A softball North Regional.
The face-off in the circle had the bona fides to earn the sometimes hackneyed term “pitcher’s duel.’’ It was certainly legitimate during a 2-0 Lady Mustangs’ loss to Colbert County and mound ace Makayli Davis that sent them to the consolation bracket Wednesday at the Florence Sportsplex.
To wit: Davis allowed two hits, struck out 13 and walked none over seven innings, a line slightly better than Schreiber’s six-inning, three-hitter where she struck out 11 and walked none.
Facing the burden of surviving the consolation bracket the next day to advance, Schreiber had a classic Southern response–hold my Dr. Pepper.
The only senior on Madison Academy’s roster, Schreiber struck out 13 in a two-hitter with one walk in a 4-0 shutout of Rogers to start Thursday. She followed with a one-hitter in an 11-2 win over Mars Hill Bible, striking out none and walking two with two unearned runs.
Schreiber was practically pedestrian for her in the next start, a 10-4 win over Winfield in which she again struck out nine with two walks but allowed (gasp!) seven hits and four unearned runs in the bottom of the first, partly because of a Schreiber error.
But, with Madison Academy down 4-3 with two outs in the top of the sixth and the season on the brink, Schreiber again didn’t flinch. Somebody hold her Orange Fanta.
With the bases packed, Schreiber poked an opposite-field home run over the right-field fence and, after adding two runs in the seventh, Madison Academy was on its way to the state tournament in Oxford.
“I was thinking to myself, ‘Stay on top of the ball. Do not dip under the ball at all like I had previously that day,’’ Schreiber recalled. “And I was like, ‘They’re gonna fall. My hits are gonna fall. Keep swinging aggressively, and that one, I swung at a pitch that I saw middle out and took it oppo and my strength took it over the fence. So.’’
So, Madison Academy will now play St. James in the Elite Eight state tournament Thursday.
“She brings good energy, positive energy, like she really boosts the energy in the dugout,’’ said second baseman Amiyah Dixon, one of two seventh graders and three middle school students in the starting lineup. “She’s very positive.’’
After the Lady Mustangs lost to Colbert County, they had to win three games the next day or go home. Scheiber was ready and pitched all 21 innings. Freshman center fielder Evie Stephenson went 4-for-5, her second such outing in regionals, and hit a leadoff home run to jumpstart the Lady Mustangs’ win over Winfield.
“(Schreiber) definitely came out super strong,’’ Madison Academy head coach Alyssa Walker said. “There was not a time that she was tired or anything. She was just energized and ready to go, and getting the team hyped up.’’
Schreiber, who usually favors Dr. Pepper but lately has mixed things up with Orange Fanta, signed with UAB before asking for and receiving a release. Michigan State, Syracuse and Austin Peay are among the schools seeking her talent.
Another performance at state like the one she showcased in regionals will likely result in even more offers, which certainly wouldn’t surprise Walker.
“Her bat definitely helps her as well,’’ Walker said, “So that’s a big advantage that we have with her as a pitcher. You don’t see that very often, that they can back it up with their bats as well.’’
