By Craig Brown
The Lady Wildcats celebrate the win on the mound. (Photos by Craig Brown.)
Although Pageland Central is 73 miles away, the rural route to get there makes it seem a lot farther. But for the fans dressed in gold and black after the game the trip was worth the effort.
The Lady Wildcats from Dillon High School proved too strong for the Lady Eagles of Pageland Central High School, defeating them 8-2 for the girls 2A State Softball Championship Title.
As always the Dillon fans showed their support with a large turnout for the game. The Lady Wildcats have come close in past season but refused to be denied this season. Wildcat Head Coach Shirl Carter and Assistant Coach Donna Lane had their team well prepared for this game. I don’t think I have ever seen two calmer coaches before the big game than these two outstanding ladies.
Dillon’s #8 Taylor Price pitched the complete game on Wednesday for the win, with Shayna Covington on second. (Photos by Craig Brown.)
Funderburk led off for the Eagles and drew a walk. Bridae Brown lined a hard shot to Wildcat pitcher Taylor Price who got Brown out at first. Jakia Seegars got a base hit to right, moving Funderburk to third. Kassie Mann sent a fly ball to centerfield that took a long time to come down into Tara Grimsley’s glove for out number three, preserving a Wildcat 1-0 lead.
Taylor Price drove a fly ball to right field where Chesney Miller made the catch for the out. Erin Bailey sent a short pop fly to center where Seegars got under the ball for the out. Auh’Keria Smiling lined a base hit to center and stole second base, but Shar’Asia Samuel ended the Wildcat threat by fling out to Seegars in centerfield.
Lowery led off for the Eagles in the bottom of the second with a fly ball behind first base that was fielded by Covington coming across to make the out. Demeka Townsend sent a pop fly to Covington for out number two. Makayla Krest pushed a hit just out of the infield, Jamyia Tyson got a base hit to center, and Funderburk loaded the bases with a walk. Brown then sent a line shot between short and third that should have scored two runs, but Callahan dove for the ball and brought the fans to their feet with her outstanding catch that kept the Eagles off the board and the Wildcats still holding onto a 1-0 lead after two innings.
Covington lead off in the top of the third with a slap bunt for a base hit and then stole second base. German sent a short pop fly to Funderburk at short for the out, but Callahan sent a hit to left center to score Covington. Grimsley hit into a fielder’s choice with Callahan getting out at second, and Samuel lined a fly ball to Seegars in center for the third out, but the Wildcats now held a 2-0 lead with the Eagles coming to bat in the bottom of the third.
Seegars sent a grounder to Covington who relayed to German at first for out one. Carlee Belk went down swinging for out two, and Kassie Mann lined one to left that came out of the top of Samuel’s glove but Samuel recovered and Mann was thrown out going to second.
Price led off in the fourth by sending a fly ball to Tyson in left field for out one. Erin Bailey lined a deep shot to left field for a double, and Tori Grimsley came in to pinch run for catcher Bailey. Smiling laid down a bunt, moving Tori to second, and Samuel got a solid hit to right center to bring Tori Grimsley in for the Wildcat’s third run. Covington laid down a bunt that resulted in Smiling getting out while advancing to third. German made it to base on a walk, but Mann stopped the Wildcats from doing more damage by making a great catch on a line drive from Callahan.
In the bottom of the fourth Lowery sent a curving line drive to left field where Shar’Asia Samuel made a diving catch but had to exit the game temporarily for a hand injury. Chesney Miller made it to base on an error, and Krest hit into a fielder’s choice, getting Miller out at second. Tyson hit a hard grounder to Johnna Rogers who made the throw out to first to put the Wildcats back to the plate holding onto a 3-0 lead after four innings.
Tara Grimsley got a double to center and Da’Kerhia Samuel brought Grimsley home on a base hit to left field. Price hit into a fielder’s choice with Taylor Blackmon, pinch running for Samuel, out at second. Erin Bailey sent a double to the fence in center to score Price. Smiling made it to base on a walk and Shar’Asia Samuel struck out. Covington ended the Wildcat threat with a pop fly to Funderburk at shortstop, but the Wildcat lead was now 5-0.
Funderburk led off for the Eagles in the bottom of the fifth, getting to second on an error. Brown followed with a base on an error scoring Funderburk. Seegars sent a grounder to German at first base for the out but a throwaway resulted in Brown coming in for the Eagles second run. Belk went down swinging for out two. Mann sent a base hit to center followed by Lowery with a hit to left, but Price was able to strike out Miller to end the Eagle rally with the Wildcats leading 5-2 after five innings.
Dillon’s #55 Shaquailla German hits a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning.
Callahan went to work on defense for the Wildcats fielding hits from Krest and Tyson and throwing them out at first. Funderburk sent a high fly ball to Shar’Asia Samuel to retire the sides after six with the Wildcats leading 6-2.
Bailey lead off in the top of the seventh with a pop fly out to Funderburk. Auh’Keria Smiling nailed a double to center, and Shar’Asia Samuel tripled to center bringing Smiling home. Covington followed with a hit on a slap bunt, scoring Samuel. German sent a fly ball to Funderburk at short stop for out two and Callahan lined out to Tyson in left field, bringing the Eagles to the plate trailing 8-2.
Callahan fielded a hard grounder from Brown and threw Brown out at first. Seegars got a double to center. Belk pop flied to Shar’Asia Samuel in left and Mann hit to Rogers at third who made the throw to first for the final out to seal the 8-2 win.
Sixteen very happy young ladies piled on top of each other in celebration after the out near the pitcher’s mound. Sometimes the celebration is more dangerous than the game.
On the mound for the Eagles in seven innings, Taylor Lowery posted two strikeouts, walked four batters, gave up 15 hits, and eight runs in the loss. For the Wildcats in seven innings, Taylor Price posted four strikeouts, walked two batters, and gave up six hits and two runs scored for the win.
At bat for the Eagles, Jakia Seegars was 2-for-4 with a double; Makayla Krest was 1-for-3 with a fielder’s choice hit; Taylor Lowery was 1-for-3; Jamyia Tyson was 1-for-3; Kassie Mann was 1-for-4 with base on an error; Bridae Brown got an RBI from an error and a fielder’s choice hit; Destinie Funderburk made it to base on an error and a walk; and Makayla Krest made it to base on an error.
For the Wildcats, Auh’Keria Smiling was 3-for-3 with a walk and had a stolen base; Shar’Asia Samuel was 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI; Tara Grimsley was 2-for-4 with two doubles a RBI and had a fielder’s choice hit; Erin Bailey was 2-for-4 with two doubles and a RBI; Da’Kerhia Samuel was 2-for-4 with a RBI; Shayna Covington was 2-for-5 with a RBI and a stolen base; Rebecca Callahan was 1-for-3 with a RBI, getting to base twice on walks adding a stolen base; Shaquailla German was 1-for-4 with the homerun RBI and got a walk; Taylor Price had a fielder’s choice hit; and Tori Grimsley, Adoshia Graves, and Taylor Blackmon did the pinch running duties.
After the win the girls looked as happy as toddlers at Christmas but lined up like proper young ladies to receive congratulations from their opponents and then receive their gold medals from Dillon Athletic Director Jackie Hayes and Superintendent Ray Rogers. But they got a little happy again when it was time for a team pose with the trophy.
When asked what she wanted to say to the readers and fans, Coach Shirl Carter would take no glory.
“The team did it; they deserve the credit. They worked so hard to get here,” stated Coach Carter. Coach Carter added that this was one of the finest group of young ladies she has been associated with as coach of the Wildcats.
“They come ready for practice and ready to play a game both mentally and physically.”
Assistant Coach Donna Lane also took no glory but stated she was so happy for Coach Carter. Lane stated that Shirl came back to Dillon to help take care of her parents and took over the softball program several years back and has put her heart into it and the young players.
I will have to add that Coaches Carter and Lane are two of my favorites. These two coaches make me feel at home in their dugout during a game. I was as happy to see them win the big one as anyone. Coaches Carter and Lane did not express child-like emotions that I have seen come over some coaches after a big win. These ladies were composed. They knew how the Eagles felt and the jumping joy was for the players. But I bet when they got home they jumped all over the walls until the wee hours of the morning and I don’t blame them. It’s always nice to cover your home team but even nicer when they win. Congratulations to Shirl and Donna and all of the sixteen ladies on the team roster.
Photos by Craig Brown. Click the images below to view at full size!
