By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD, Journal Sports
When Calvary hosts Ascension Christian in a first-round game of the Division IV softball playoffs this afternoon, the Lady Cavaliers’ defense will be led by two very experienced middle infielders.
Ramsey Walker is a four-year starter at shortstop and second baseman DJ Lynch has started for the Cavaliers for three years. It’s no surprise that a successful team relies on experience to navigate through the post-season.
What may be a surprise is the four- and three-year starters are sophomores. That’s right. If you do the math, you’ll figure out that Walker has been starting for the Cavs since she was in seventh grade while Lynch has been a starter since the eighth grade.
Walker and Lynch are really old-timers when you consider the Cavs’ catcher Mallory Carver is a seventh-grader while starting pitcher Kynzee Anderson is in the eighth grade. In fact, Calvary has just one senior starting this season.
That’s youth with lots of experience. And success. Calvary, the defending Division IV state champion, is going for its fourth title. The Cavs captured the Division III title in 2017 and brought the Class 2A title back to Shreveport in 2016. In the last eight years, they have entered the playoffs no lower than a No. 2 seed.
If Calvary is able to defend its title, Walker and Lynch will be relied on for more than their defense. As the No. 1 and 2 hitters, they are responsible for getting the offense going.
“Ramsey is a power hitter with great speed and great knowledge,” says Calvary head coach Tiffany Wood. “She’s had a great season for us. She’s had lots of walks with many of those intentional due to her power.”
While Walker says being walked can be “annoying sometimes,” she knows how important that can be. “I just have to be patient,” she says. “I have to get ready and wait for my pitch. And, if they walk me, I know Tavia (Leadon) is behind me to hit.”
Lynch, who switched from the four-hole to leadoff to start the 2021 playoffs (after the leadoff batter was hurt), has remained in that role this season. “We found that it worked,” she says.
The lineup has worked so well that the Cavs, 20-12 overall and the No. 2 seed, were victorious over six Division 5A teams this season. Part of that success, says Wood, is the improvement Walker has made on defense.
“Her defense has come a long way since the beginning of the year,” says Wood. “Also, she kind of controls our defense out there vocally. She’s very good at going to the mound and talking to Kynzee.
“I’m not sure what she says to her. I may not want to know,” Wood says with a laugh. “But it works.”
Everything seems to have worked for the Cavs this season. When they go up against Ascension Christian (7-11) of Gonzales this afternoon, they’re not sure exactly what to expect so they are preparing as if it were just another game.
“We’re feeling pretty good (going into the playoffs),” says Wood. “I keep reminding the kids to fall back on their training. The skill set is there. We have been preparing for this since last May. We feel everything – pitching, offense, defense – is at the strongest point. It’s where we want it to be.”
Photo by JOHN PENROD
