By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Since Misti Nims coaches both softball and volleyball at Jefferson Davis Community College, it seemed only natural she turned to the volleyball program to keep the softball season alive.
JDCC began the season with 11 players, but after one player quit and freshman pitcher Amberly Whitworth broke the knuckle on her index finger on her pitching hand in the second game of a doubleheader against Wallace State-Hanceville February 17, it left the Lady Warhawks with the minimum nine players for last Monday's doubleheader at Bevill State.
Then the Lady Warhawks worst nightmare happened when sophomore centerfielder Carleen Clark injured her knee in the second game of that doubleheader and could not continue. That left JDCC with just eight players and forced it to forfeit.
To make matters worse, both Whitworth and Clark figure to be out lengthy periods of time.
Whitworth's and Clark's injuries left JDCC in the dubious position: recruit more players or forfeit every game until they return.
Nims' S.O.S. distress signal was answered by three members of the JDCC volleyball, as freshmen Elizabeth Haddock, Kim Deese and Ashley Willoughby were in uniform for Friday's doubleheader against Jefferson State.
Haddock was immediately pressed into service and played both games against Jefferson State. Although she went hitless at the plate, she successfully handled all her chances in rightfield.
Nims admitted it was not easy for her three &#8220recruits” to join the softball team.