Lady Patriot Softball Begins 30th Season with High Expectations

By Don Meador,
Sports Writer

Expectations are high as the tradition-rich Allen County-Scottsville Lady Patriot softball team takes to the diamond next week seeking a bounce-back year following a disappointing 2024 year. AC-S will seek win their first District championship since 2022 and a first region title since 2011–the same year as the program won the state championship.

Despite the program’s outstanding success in 29 seasons of fastpitch, the past three seasons have seen the squad struggle. AC-S went 19-15 in 22 before a record of 14-17 in 2023 and a 13-20 worksheet last season. Factors in the sub-par seasons were youthfulness inexperience at the varsity level of high school softball, and injuries to key contributors. However, Coach Brad Bonds likes what he is seeing from this year’s team.

“We have had a great offseason of work and progress as these young ladies are getting stronger physically and locked in mentally for a great bounce back season,” Bonds said. “Though we still have some very young ladies that are gaining experience at a high level and learning how to react in situations, we have many experienced veterans ready to help lead. This is a varied group of young ladies that have bonded really well and seem poised for success in many ways this season.”

The 2025 Lady Patriots come into the season with a roster very capable of competing against the region’s and the state’s best. Last season, a series of injuries to key players led to struggles for the Lady Patriots. At one point, seven potential starters were out. On last year’s 19-player roster, only four played in every game.

However, the silver-lining amidst the injury-filled dark days of last spring, was the opportunity for young players  to develop into seasoned veterans.

“For the first time in a long time we have a large majority of our team as juniors and seniors so we consider our team an experienced and veteran team that is capable and willing to compete each and every time we take the field,” Bonds explained. “With so many injuries last year it provided opportunities for some younger inexperienced players to gain such experience on the field resulting in what we feel could be a truly dynamic team with lots of depth in most if not all positions on the field.  We will have lots of options in the pitching circle which we can mix and match speeds and styles to help create as many advantages as possible for our team.  We also have several players that can create havoc on the bases as well as several players that can provide power offensively, therefore, our staff is excited about the different ways we can approach the game offensively each night.”

Five seniors lead the team–Ally Anderson, Haiden Brown, Shiloh Knievel, Jacie Rice and Aubrey Williams.

“Each one of them will provide leadership and excitement within their own unique assets to this team,” Bonds stated. “This group of young ladies has been in our program for at least five years and has been preparing themselves throughout for this final year.  Each one has worked hard crafting their specific skills to help provide the best opportunity for this team to be successful.”

Anderson–a Bryan College signee–enjoyed a solid 2024 season. Anderson batted .444 in 33 games. She recorded 40 hits in 90 at-bats, legged out seven doubles and recorded three triples. She also scored 31 runs for the Lady Patriots.

Knievel has also signed to play college ball, inking to suit up for Asbury University. In 2024, Knievel appeared in 33 games and proved to be a player to do whatever is asked of her.

Seniors Brown and Williams played key roles in 2024. Brown batted .257, recorded 19 hits and 19 RBIs, and scored 15 runs. Williams hit .361, had 30 hits, 32 RBI’s, doubled six times and hit three home runs. Rice returns to the field this year after missing the entire 24 campaign with an injury. As a sophomore in 2023, Rice batted .370 with 30 hits.

Given the senior leadership and the makeup of the team, the coaching staff is facing somewhat of a “unique” but good, situation.

“What is unique about this team this year is that we have so much depth and options each night providing our staff unique opportunities that we haven’t been able to do much lately,” Bonds said. “With the dreaded injury bug last year, we could provide some of these ladies some injury management “days off” this year within the grind to help manage the long grueling season.  It also places a higher focus on performance as many positions will be monitored with the “hot bat.”  I am always looking to find ways to get more ladies involved in the game, so it provides our staff creative ways to do so.  These are great things for a staff to be able to navigate each night as long as these young ladies push each other to be the very best they can be individually and as a team.”

AC-S’s 24-player roster reflects a mixture of classes as well as middle schoolers.

Juniors include Addison Ausbrooks, Addison Law, Katie Jo Scott, and Addison Wheat. Sophomore players are Kensley Byrn, Payton Hopkins, and Brooklyn Oliver. Freshmen on the squad are Ashlyn Alred, Kyndell Clark, Maddie Gray, Gabby Joyce and McKenna Law. Middle school players include Audrey Bonds, Dani Cates, Bailey Gaines, Finley Rice, Aubrey Shelton, Kinlee Sikes and Maddie Strain.

Last season is in the past and the Lady Patriots will push forward–striving for success. To achieve that requires a challenging schedule. This year’s schedule will be just that. In addition to District comets with Barren County, Glasgow and Warren East, region opponents include: Russell County, Logan County, Cumberland County, Bowling Green, Franklin-Simpson, Greenwood, Clinton County, Russellville, and defending Region 4 and State semifinalist South Warren.

The schedule also includes games against Butler County in 2A action on March 22 at Lady Patriot Field, match-ups with Clay County and Wayne County at Clinton County in early April, and Kentucky schools Harrison County and Western Hills. The Lady Patriots host the Holland, Inc. Classic on April 19 where they will face Pulaski County, Monroe County and Edmonson County.

The Lady Patriots begin their 30th season of fast pitch softball with an overall record of 712-341-7. The 712 wins ranks AC-S seventh on the all-time list of wins in Kentucky softball history. The Lady Patriots are seeking their 21st District 15 title and a seventh Region 4 crown. Assisting Bonds this year are Nip Rice and Reagan Kingery.