Latta’s Anna Rogers allowed just three hits in the lower state title game and struck out eight. (Photos by Robert Porter.)
After a light district bracket that saw Latta claim the title with 15-0 and 18-0 wins over Whale Branch, the Lady Vikings opened the lower state bracket with a 5-1 loss to East Clarendon. But the Vikings battled their way to a 4-3 win over Green Sea-Floyds to stay alive in the playoffs and traveled to Johnsonville on Wednesday night to take on the Lady Flashes.
Neither team could score until the bottom of the fourth, where Johnsonville took a 2-0 lead. The Lady Vikings tied things up 2-2 in the top of the fifth and added one run in the sixth for a 3-2 lead. Neither could cross the plate again, allowing Latta to advance while Johnsonville was eliminated.
Anna Rogers pitched the complete game for the win, allowing three hits, two earned runs, and two walks while striking out 16. Ashley Hannah took the loss for Johnsonville, pitching a complete game for seven hits, three runs, one earned run, two walks, and four outs.
Raven Baxley went 2-for-4 to lead Latta at bat and Camryn Sawyer went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Tori Grimsley went 1-for-4 for the Lady Vikings, and Allison Moody went 1-for-3 with one RBI. Latta had seven hits in the win.
Johnsonville was led by Ashton Prosser, who went 1-for-3 with a double, and Ansley Mace, who went 1-for-3 with one RBI. Kayla Ard also went 1-for-3 for the Flashes, who had three hits in the game.
Johnsonville finished the season with a 15-11 record as Latta advanced to the lower state championship.
The Lady Vikings traveled to East Clarendon for the championship game and fell 1-0 to the Lady Wolverines. East Clarendon scored their only run in the bottom of the fifth with Maggie Baird singling on a bunt. The Latta defense missed the throw to first, allowing Baird to advance all the way to third, and East Clarendon’s Gracen Watts hit a grounder to bring Baird home for the only run of the game.
East Clarendon’s Kaitlin Alexander got the win on the mound, striking out six and allowing just three hits in the game. The senior has allowed just one run in six playoff games, when Latta’s Dori Webster brought in Tori Grimsley in the first round of lower state playoffs.
Anna Rogers allowed just three hits, one run, and no earned runs while striking out eight. Rogers recorded over 200 strikeouts this season.
Camryn Sawyer, Raven Baxley, and Mikenzi Caniglia had one hit each to lead Latta at bat. Only six Vikings reached base in the game. Latta ends the season with a 14-13 record.
Baird, Watts, and Jessica Welch had East Clarendon’s three hits in the win. The Lady Wolverines will advance to the state series for the first time since 2002.
East Clarendon was scheduled to host Dixie in the first round on Monday night. Dixie defeated St. Joseph’s 12-6, Lewisville 9-4, and Fox Creek 5-0 to claim the Upper State Title. Dixie will host game two on Wednesday.
Photos by Robert Porter. Click images below to view at full size!
