When Jessica and Jacque Adams step on the field, it’s a full on family affair.
The twin sisters make up Bryan’s pitcher-catcher duo that has been nearly unstoppable this season. The seniors helped lead the Lady Vikings to their first undefeated district season since 2006 as they went 14-0 in District 12-6A play, winning six games by run rule.
Jessica has a 0.73 ERA in the circle with a 21-6 record thanks in part to her trust in Jacque’s knowledge of each batter, something they say sets them apart from other batteries.
“Throughout the years we have high expectations for ourself,” Jessica said, “so if we’re not up to that expectation, then we need somebody else to say, ‘Hey, you need to be up here and you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do.’ It’s nice to have someone there to say, ‘Hey, step it up.’”
Jacque calls pitches for Jessica and said she tries to pick up on small movements from batters that could be game-changers.
“When I’m watching film or I have the scorebook of the other team, it really helps me on what to call with these batters and knowing what the plan is,” Jacque said.
As much as they rely on their strong bond, the sisters aren’t afraid to push each other, especially during tight or stressful games. They needed the extra push in their April 9 matchup against Killeen Shoemaker as Jessica pitched nine innings and allowed just two hits in the Lady Vikings’ 1-0 victory. Alexis Rodriguez scored the lone run in the ninth.
“Being together it does help keep us distracted from peer pressure or just pressure in a tight game, especially that Shoemaker game when it was 1-0,” Jacque said. “We had to keep each other in check and help everyone around us try to score.”
Jessica and Jacque said they’re ability to work together and get results was a key factor in getting recruited by Louisiana-Lafayette. The sisters signed with the Ragin’ Cajuns in November and said they loved the campus and staff led by head coach Gerry Glasco. But perhaps the biggest bonus was getting to play together.
“Through the whole recruiting process, the big deal was that we were trying to keep us together,” Jessica said. “We didn’t want to have my dad go over here and my mom go over there and flip flop.”
Family and softball has always been intertwined for the Adams family. Their older twin sisters also played for Bryan, and with a 12-year age difference, Jessica and Jacque practically grew up at softball fields.
“We were born on the field,” Jacque said. “When we were born we would travel with them and our parents would go on and off taking us. We would watch their games. We were right there with them. It’s just normal.”
The family atmosphere now goes beyond their sisters and parents and extends to their teammates and coaches. Playing together as young softballers has helped the team’s chemistry through the years and it shows on the field, Jacque said.
“We start to think more alike together, so that’s a really big factor,” Jacque said.
And the Adams sisters set the tone for Bryan.
“I think our kids feed off of it and see the type of effort they put in,” Bryan head coach Enrique Luna said. “They’re great kids, and they bring their A game everyday. They’re going to give you everything they’ve got.”
Bryan (27-8, 14-0) will open the Class 6A playoffs against Waxahachie with a best-of-3 series beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Texas A&M’s Davis Diamond. Game 2 will be at the Waxahachie Softball Complex at 5 p.m. Friday followed by Game 3 if needed. Waxahachie (11-10, 8-5) finished fourth in 11-6A.
Luna said the Lady Vikings can’t get too confident in the first round despite entering as a top seed.
“As good as it is we can’t be satisfied,” Luna said. “We can’t be satisfied winning the district championship, because I’ve seen it too many times that people win a championship then they’re one and out. We know we have a our work cut out this week with Waxahachie.”
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NOTES — Jessica also is a third baseman, while Jacque plays first. ... Jessica will pitch on Wednesday and possibly in Game 2, Luna said. ... Tickets cost $6 for adults and $3 for students for Game 1 at Davis Diamond. The ticket windows will open at 6 p.m. Concessions will not be open, so fans can bring in outside food and drinks. Parking will be available in lots 100m and 100e. ... The Adams sisters are four-year starters. They’ve combined for 87 RBIs and 30 home runs this season. Jessica holds school records for career home runs (40) and pitching wins (67). ... Bryan has two more seniors in Kaedyn Filburn, a Schreiner recruit, and Sydnee Woodward. ... Jacque said the team has used last year’s COVID-19 shortened season as motivation to be successful this year. “We knew that we were going to go far just from last year. We were on a roll, continuously winning these games, and we still had this chemistry building. And this year, that’s why we had ‘unfinished business’ as our motto.”...
