softball Archive

Crestview’s Lady Bulldog softball team battled rival Niceville on Thursday in a game that had plenty of positives. The biggest positive was that the Lady Bulldogs held Niceville scoreless for the final five innings behind the pitching of Cambell Toolan. Another positive was Crestview battled the full seven innings.

There are few things that put a smile on the face of a softball or baseball coach like a big inning. That big inning is exactly what Baker’s softball team had on Thursday as it played host to Central. Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning the Lady Gators clung to a slim 8-7 lead. Fourteen batters and eight runs later the lead was 16-7.

Lady Bulldog pitchers Jules Forrest and Cambell Toolan combined for a 5-hitter and struck out eight Choctaw batters on Tuesday. The result was a 4-2 win for the Crestview softball team.

John Toolan was officially named the head softball coach at Crestview High School in the fall. His team was on display for the first time on Tuesday as the Lady Bulldogs hosted the Lady Gators of Baker in a preseason game. Toolan, the father of standout sophomore, Cambell Toolan, has embraced the opportunity to lead the team.

First-year Baker softball coach Mark Wilde had his first look at the Lady Gators in live action against Crestview last week and overall, he was pleased with what he saw from the team in the 8-6 loss. “I see them going pretty good,” he said. “We had a few errors out there or the score would have been closer. But as far as putting up a battle, I think we did really good. But as far as putting up a battle, I think we did really good. “It turned into a pitching game the last several innings.”

There are athletic scholarships that award more money than the Whitney Megan Langley Memorial scholarship. There are athletic scholarships that some would say carry more prestige. But it’s hard to deny the meaning before the annual award is given to a graduating Crestview softball player.

The 2023 recipient was catcher Alex Carroll.

A month ago John Toolan had no idea he would be leading the Crestview High School softball program as interim coach. When the school chose not renew Michelle Howard’s contract, Toolan was asked to take over the program on which his daughter, Cambell, will be a sophomore pitcher next spring.

Michelle Howard won’t be returning as the Crestview High School softball coach next year. Howard said she was informed of the decision that she wouldn’t be retained earlier this month.

Alex Carroll has finished her Crestview High School softball career having recently played her final game for the Lady Bulldogs.

Petite in stature, Carroll has been a force at catcher throughout her high school career.

It seemed fitting that the sun had set and the moon was rising in the early spring sky as the District 2-6A softball game between Crestview and Niceville came to an end Thursday evening. The setting sun symbolized the end of the season for one team.