It was the kind of matchup that had softball fans across Okaloosa County and beyond circling their calendars — the defending 4A state champion against the defending 5A state runner-up.
- And it was the runner-up that made the statement.
Niceville defeated Fort Walton Beach 9-0 behind a dominant pitching performance from Chloe Bailey and a big night at the plate from Valerie Malley, giving the Lady Eagles a confidence boost as the early season progresses.
“It gives us a lot of confidence,” Niceville head coach Danny Hensley said. “We got off to a slow start with our bats this year, but every game we’re taking swings and hitting the ball harder and harder. When we start putting up runs and putting up pressure on other teams, it really gives us a lot of confidence.”
From the opening inning, Niceville was in control, and it was Malley and Bailey leading the charge.
Malley, a sophomore, came up big with two doubles and multiple RBIs. Her first double came in the second inning, and she later scored on an RBI double from Molly Mayfield that gave Niceville a 2-0 lead. In the third, with the Lady Eagles already up 3-0, Malley ripped an RBI double that scored Annabelle Shackelford to push the lead to 4-0.
- She wasn’t done. In the fifth, following singles from Shackelford and Bailey, Malley hit a sacrifice fly that sent Shackelford home and advanced Bailey to third, making it 5-0.
“Valerie did an awesome job,” Hensley said. “Valerie is a sophomore that came in and got a bunch of hits and RBIs for us.”
Bailey, a South Alabama commit, was just as impressive. She struck out six batters and surrendered just three hits — singles to Anna Abernathy in the first and Meredith Miller in the seventh, and a double to Elyse Heymann in the sixth. She walked only two batters on the night.
Bailey also contributed at the plate, collecting three singles in the first, fifth and sixth innings.
“Chloe was good. She pitched extremely well,” Hensley said. “She had command of her pitches. She did an awesome job.”
“We had a really good defense tonight and our offense really came through,” Bailey said.
“I think we did pretty good,” Malley added.
Niceville (5-1) will play a doubleheader in Panama City on Friday against Wakulla and North Bay Haven.
Fort Walton Beach (1-5) hosts Navarre on Thursday.
The two teams will meet again March 24 at Fort Walton Beach.
