The Camden Fairview Cardinals and Lady Cardinals baseball and softball teams finished their second week of the regular season play last week, as both teams continues establishing themselves on the field with consistent play.
The Cardinals baseball team got their first win of the season on March 7, when they defeated the Hope Bobcats 12-1 at home. The boys' team also defeated the Malvern Leopards 12-1 on the road on March 10. Several players accounted for standout performances in the wins, but among the most significant was freshman catcher/infielder Jaden Bryant.
The Lady Cardinals softball team started racking up wins last week, when they defeated the Hope Lady Bobcats on March 7, 12-1. The following day, the Lady Cardinals hosted their first home game of the season against the Hope Lady Bobcats, who they defeated 14-4. A player who stood out with an explosive performance was junior infielder Kylah Breland.
Cardinals catcher/infielder Jaden Bryant is the Camden News' Male Player of the Week and Lady Cardinals infielder Kylah Breland is the Camden News' Female Player of the Week.
Bryant has already become a consistent contributor for the Cardinals as a full-time, freshman starter. It was last week, however, when Bryant had his breakout performance. As a fielder in all three games last week, Bryant had seven total chances and accounted for seven putouts for a fielding percentage of 100%. As a batter, he combined for three hits, a home-run, five RBIs, five runs, one walk and only had one strikeout.
Bryant accounted for two hits, one RBI, two runs, a batting-average of .500, an on-base percentage of .545 and a slugging percentage of .500 in the win over Hope. In a game at home against Conway, Bryant hit his first home-run of the season as he also accounted for four RBIs, three runs, one walk, a batting average of .429, an on-base percentage of .500 and a slugging percentage of .643.
The Lady Cardinals have a roster full of dynamic playmakers on both ends of the field, and Breland is one of the team's most explosive hitters. In the fourth inning of the Lady Cardinals' game against Hope, with the bases loaded, Breland stepped to the plate and delivered a solid hit over the fence for a grand slam. Later on, at the bottom of the fifth inning, Breland accounted for another solid hit that went for a two-run, walk-off home run to seal the 14-4 win for the Lady Cardinals.
Breland accounted for three runs including the two home runs, three hits and seven RBIs in four at-bats in her stellar performance against the Lady Bobcats. After the game, head coach Kendra Center complimented her big performance.
"Kylah has more power than any kid I've probably ever coached. She doesn't do a lot of things wrong in her swing. When she hits good pitches, they're going to go a long ways," she said.
Breland's impact as a highly efficient power-hitter will make her one of the most feared batters for opposing pitchers in the south Arkansas region. She will get even better as a batter as she continues to grow more confidence.