Local athletes, Joiner, Litz sign with Huntingdon College
By TIM GAYLE
LAMP senior Joanna Joiner, like many of her fellow seniors at the Montgomery magnet school, was considering her academic options in college when she was confronted by an intriguing athletic offer.
Joiner had made many trips to Huntingdon College for camps and other events over the years and it was the one sports program that could grab her attention.
“I’ve always wanted to play at Huntingdon,” she said. “When they expressed an interest, it really turned me away from the academic (offers) to softball. So it was really just living out my childhood dream.”
Joiner was the center of attention on Tuesday during a rare signing ceremony at a school where almost every student chooses their collegiate destination based on academics.
“It’s almost like a treat for us to have one that will actually use their (athletic) scholarship,” said former LAMP softball coach Anthony Norris, who was on hand for the ceremony. “Caitlin Russell might not have had all the academic accolades and scholarships available, but she’s using her athletic scholarship to go to school (at UAB) and Joanna will be the same at Huntingdon.
“For every player that’s played softball (on a scholarship), I’ve had three that had offers but their academic (scholarship opportunities) were so much better, they had to choose academics.”
Joiner, who will play her sixth year of softball at LAMP in a couple of months, admitted that a future in athletics was not on her mind before Huntingdon coach Casey Chrietzberg arrived with an offer.
“I didn’t know if I wanted to play in college,” she said. “I figured I would just sign an academic scholarship. But when Huntingdon expressed an interest, it made me want to work that much harder to get there and Coach Norris was there every step of the way. And Coach Mark (Hall) as well.”
Hall, her travel ball coach (and the head softball coach at St. James as well), said Joiner’s desire to be the best softball player possible made her a joy to coach in summer ball as well as at the high school level.
“It’s come through hard work,” he said. “When I first met Joanna, she wanted to take the next step and play at a high level of travel softball. I wasn’t sure how that was going to work but I knew this: she was a kid that I wanted my child to be around.”
While much of the focus on LAMP’s softball team was on Russell, the standout pitcher the past three years for the Golden Tigers, Joiner was making a name for herself last season as one of the team’s top hitters.
“Joanna would have been an average athlete minus her work ethic,” Norris said. “She was one of my best sticks last year. She was also very versatile defensively, too. I wanted her to play the outfield but she ended up having to come to the dirt and play first base for me. Joanna was the best first baseman I ever fielded in my 13 seasons.”
She didn’t want to make the move, she now admits, but her dedication to the team and her work ethic made the move a success that caught the attention of Chrietzberg.
“I didn’t want to play first,” Joiner said. “When Coach came to me and told me he was going to move me to first, I was upset. I loved playing in the outfield. So it was a very difficult transition to first. I had never played in the infield except as a catcher. It took a lot. My best friend Haley (Herron), our third baseman, throws picks to me every day. She helped me a lot. Now I love first base. I don’t want to play anywhere else.”
Litz signs with Huntingdon
Prattville Christian Academy pitcher Patrick Litz will continue his career with the Huntingdon Hawks, a decision that didn’t surprise Panther coach Tommy Goodson.
“For the past three years, Patrick has been one of the hardest working guys on the team,” Goodson said. “His dedication has been top-notch and we’re expecting a lot out of him on the mound and at the plate this season.”
Litz is a three-year starter for the Panthers, recording a 1.74 earned run average last season. He was an integral part of the team’s success last year, defeating Alabama Christian Academy and Trinity, the eventual state champions, for the first time in program history as PCA advanced to the 3A state playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Litz was honored recently as the school held a signing ceremony. And while his pitching accomplishments are at the top of his athletic list of achievements, another special moment was his walk-off home run to beat Alabama Christian Academy in the final regular season game of the 2022 baseball season.
“I am so proud of Patrick,” said PCA athletic director Tara Osborne. “It has been an honor to watch him do what he needed to become a stronger athlete and fight to be the best baseball player he can to follow his dreams. Patrick is such a team player and is always willing to do whatever he needs to for the good of the team. Huntingdon will be a great fit for him.”