Lady Devils to host Thursday softball scrimmage

Published 12:00 pm Wednesday, July 30, 2025

TIFTON — Softball season is here and Tift County High head coach Jen Walls is more than ready to see what her team will do in 2025.

Tift will scrimmage Veterans at home Thursday at 5 p.m. five days before the regular season begins Aug. 5 at Westfield in Perry. The Lady Devils’ first home game is Aug. 6 against Cairo.

“Summer’s been great,” said Walls. “The girls are really locked in.” She can’t believe how fast the summer has gone. It’s been a busy one, a combination of weights, swimming and conditioning on top of their usual practices.

The Lady Devils were an 18-12 team in 2024, advancing to the first round of the Class 6A playoffs. There were no seniors in that group and the team is largely the same.

A potential starting lineup for the scrimmage sees Lily Robinson in the circle, throwing to Braylin Dorden behind the plate. Morgan Brey is at first, Hannah Grace Murphy at second, Marlee Veazey at shortstop and Ella Bruce at third. In the outfield are Stella Bryant, C.B. McCrary and Jaylin McCant.

McCant is a freshman. “She can hit for power,” Walls said.

Equally capable of making their way into the starting lineup are Allie Lee, Ashlyn Massey (“She has really stepped up,” said Walls.), Jenna Gill, Aubree Hale and Lucy House.

Walls praised the entire squad as “very athletic.”

“If we can keep them healthy, we’ll be solid,” she said.

There is an abundance of pitchers, enough that Walls feels she can save the majority of Robinson’s innings for region. Lee, Murphy and McCrary will all be in the circle. McCrary has developed into an excellent closer.

Robinson was first team All-Region last season, a campaign that saw her hit .427 and strike out 154 in 125 1/3 innings. McCrary, Bruce and Veazey were all second team All-Region. Bruce had eight homers, Veazey led Tift with 23 RBIs, and McCrary contributed at .351 average.

Region 1-6A remains tough, Walls said. Colquitt County raised the flag last year and Lowndes and Richmond Hill are always tough. After seeing them this summer, she predicts Valdosta will be much improved.

In addition to working at their own field, Tift County attended a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp at Columbus State.

“It was incredible,” she said. “The best team bonding.”

The Lady Devils played four scrimmages during camp.

Westfield should be a barn-burner of an opener. The Lady Hornets have been the class of the GIAA for the past decade and are coming off a 3A state championship.

Besides Cairo, other early non-region games see TCHS play Coffee, Thomas County Central and Cook.

Region begins Aug. 26 at Lowndes, with a home doubleheader on Aug. 28.

Special games on the schedule are Alumni Night Aug. 18 versus Cook; Senior Night during the Valdosta doubleheader Sept. 18; Student Night during the Sept. 25 Camden County doubleheader and a Pink-Out game against Colquitt Sept. 30.