Sibling chemistry part of solid Golden Falcon defense

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on June 4, 2014 1:46 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

PIKEVILLE -- As Charles B. Aycock sophomore catcher Abbie Walton gets down in her crouch, her twin sister Madison flashes her the sign.

It's a simple point to let Abbie know the runner is stealing.

Abbie jumps up and fires the ball to her sister, who is waiting to make the catch and apply the tag to the would-be base stealer.

The Walton sisters practice this throw down to second base over and over in their backyard until they get it perfect enough to throw someone out in the real game.

And they've gotten pretty good at it.

"We work on it all the time," Madison Walton said. "We just know what each other is going to do and it's nice to have that trust there."

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Abbie and Madison have been developing this chemistry since they started playing travel ball at eight years old. They've been doing one other thing on the softball diamond, too ... winning.

"We grew up playing travel ball together and we played in a few state championships and won the World Series with the (Nash County) Lookouts," Madison Walton said.

But there was one uniform they couldn't wait to wear -- Charles B. Aycock. The sisters showed up to games sat around the same field where more than 600 people appeared last weekend to see the Golden Falcons rally past South Johnston, 5-4, and earn a trip to the state finals.

When they were walked off the field looking at the overwhelming support from the community, they realized they had never had a better win.

Scratch that, they had never had a better day.

"I was walking off the field and I just said to myself 'there is no way getting married can feel better than that,'" Madison said.

It wouldn't be the same to the Walton sisters if one of them wasn't playing. They're a support system for each other. They either pump each other up or calm each other down

"I can tell when she's rattled or when I need to say something," Madisonsaid.

"We'll grab each other's helmets and talk each other up," Abbie said. "Daddy always said 'big as a pumpkin,' when we're hitting to let the ball get as big as a pumpkin. So I'll tell her that a lot."

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They look alike, but it's not difficult to tell the two apart.

Ironically, their season statistics are almost identical. Madison is batting .321 with 26 hits, three doubles and an on-base slugging percentage (OPS) of .740. Abbie has a .320 average with 24 hits, four doubles and .739 OPS.

Each has drawn six walks and each had four hits during the eastern regional championship series against South Johnston. But their biggest play in the best-of-three matchup occurred in game two.

Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning, SJ got the lead-off runner aboard. The Trojans had already successfully swiped two bags and coach Mickey Bridgers was anxious to try it again.

Madison pointed to her sister Abbie.

Junior Madison Byrd took off to second base as the ball crossed home plate.

Abbie stood up and threw down to second base.

Madison caught the ball and swiped Byrd on the leg.

Byrd was out just like they had practiced in their backyard.