Dillon’s #2 Tara Grimsley is welcomed in to home by her teammates as the Lady Wildcats claimed the 2014 Class 2A Lower State softball title and earned a shot at the state series. (Photo by Tanya Ackerman/Coastal Observer.)
On Wednesday, the Lady Wildcats traveled to Barnwell and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Dillon added five runs in the top of the second, but Barnwell scored four runners in the bottom of the third to trail 6-4. But Dillon picked up one run each in the fourth and fifth innings, and added two in the sixth for a 10-4 lead, and the Wildcats sealed the win with four runs in the seventh.
Shaquailla German earned the win on the mound, pitching all seven innings for five hits, four runs, two earned runs, five walks,and five outs. Barnwell’s Laken Pritchard took the loss, pitching 4.6 innings for seven hits, seven runs, six earned runs, four walks, and three outs.
At bat for the Wildcats, Tara Grimsley went 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI; Shayna Covington went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases; Erin Bailey went 2-for-3 with two RBI; and Rebecca Callahan went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one stolen base. Dillon had 14 hits and three errors in the win, while Barnwell had five hits and three errors.
On Friday, the Lady Wildcats traveled to Waccamaw to avenge their first round loss against the Warriors and claim the lower state title.
In the first game, Dillon earned three runs in the fifth on a three-run homer from Erin Bailey, and Da’Kerhia Samuel got a solo homer in the seventh as Dillon earned an 8-5 win behind 17 hits.
In game two, Waccamaw took a 2-0 lead with a two-run double from McKenzie Lugin in the top of the first. But Dillon’s Tara Grimsley hit a solo homer in the second and Shayna Covington singled to score Shar’Asia Samuel and tie the game at 2-2.
With the score still tied in the fifth, Erin Bailey hit a solo homer. The Wildcats took advantage of three walks and three Warrior errors, and a three-run double from Auh’Keria Smiling allowed the Wildcats to earn eight runs in the inning to earn the Wildcats the win.
The Lady Wildcats improved to 21-3 overall with the win as they ended a 17 game winning streak from the Warriors, who finished 25-9.
Dillon was set to host Central on Monday night in the first round of the Class 2A State Championship series. The Lady Wildcats will travel to Central on Wednesday, and a third game will be played at a neutral site on Friday if necessary.
Central earned a 4-0 win over Ninety-Six in the opening round of the upper state playoffs and defeated defending champ Crescent 6-3 to advance to the championship. On Friday, Central hosted Crescent again, dropping the first game 17-8, but shutting out Crescent 14-0 in game two for the upper state title.
