Dixie Chicks

BY FRED JETER TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Slow-pitch softball is a popular sport for girls, but it has a major flaw: It's not offered on the high school level. That's why Allan Spencer decided it was time for a change. This summer, the Lady Hawks slow-pitch team became the Dixie Chicks fast-pitch squad. "There was no more competition for us in slow-pitch," Spencer said. "And it was time to get the girls ready for high school ball. I think you'll see some of them making their JV teams next spring as eighth-graders." A lot went into the conversion. First, Spencer merged the Hawks with the existing fast-pitch Dixie Chicks, coached by Dickie Childress. Childress brought his knowledge of fast-pitch and team name, along with his daughter, shortstop Amber Childress. "All the other players on last year's Dixie Chicks moved up to U-14," Spencer said. "Amber was the only one we got." Next, Spencer went shopping for a pitcher. He found what he was looking for in Meghan Cobb of Chester. "Meghan was awesome in rec ball," Spencer said. "I went down to look at her. I talked to her mother, and she decided to come with us." A final step for Spencer was to construct a batting cage in his back yard. "We started working last November learning to hit the fast pitch," Spencer said. "These girls put in thousands of hours. They took 200, 300 cuts a day. They stayed in that cage till their arms were tired." The strategy worked as the squad became an overnight success story. The maiden voyage into fast-pitch produced a 38-14 record with four tournament championships, including the Commonwealth Games. The Chicks finished their campaign by posting a 5-2 record and finishing third at the National Softball Association's U-12 World Series in Salem. "In one year, we went from being the best slow-pitch team around Richmond to being the best fast-pitch team," Spencer said. "Nobody around here beat us." Cobb, who attends Salem Church Middle, and Childress, of Midlothian Middle, were the only Chicks with fast-pitch experience. Both enjoyed eyebrow raising seasons. Throwing well in excess of 50 mph, Cobb, who lives in the L.C. Bird district, was 34-11 with a 1.92 earned-run average. She struck out 211 in 229 innings. "Meghan went from throwing 48 [mph] to close to 55 in the last year," Spencer said. "It's a good thing she did join us. There's no way the girls in the rec league could touch her. She would have just been blowing it by them . . . not even a good practice session." Childress, the youngest of five athletic sisters, was outstanding with the glove and bat. The shortstop hit .475 with 49 runs batted in and 39 stolen bases. She also had team-high totals in home runs (two), triples (13) and doubles (14). In the middle infield, Childress teamed with second baseman Lacy Jordan, a Brookland Middle student in western Henrico. Jordan led the team with a .486 average and 39 stolen bases. Other leading hitters were first baseman Kristi Collins (.472), third baseman Lauren Spencer (.358) and catcher Kelly Tsiptsis (.357). Team-wise, the Chicks hit .366 with a .445 on-base percentage. As a slow-pitch unit, the Lady Hawks won a string of state titles and were dominant in Chesterfield County under the Evergreen Association banner. Their former slow-pitch foes likely are happy to see them move on. Their future high school coaches are just as pleased to see them moving up.