By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Lady Warriors traveled to Sumter on Saturday to play in the Sumter Tournament made up of SCISA and SCHSL teams.
The Warriors basically had a skeleton team. They were minus all seniors, who were on mission trip, and other starters, including the pitchers, due to illness. Due to the number of teams present, most games were shortened to one hour and some games lasted only two innings.
The Warriors started off against Clarendon Hall and used first time pitcher Leah Stephens. Stephens did a fine job for no past experience. The Warriors lost the game 15-0 but had a lot of young players in new positions.
In game two, the Warriors played the Wardlaw Patriots and went down 6-0. Stephens again went to the mound and stayed until her arm began to ache and Coaches Norm Norton and Danny Ellis thought it best to take the young competitor out. First time pitcher Ravin Norris entered the game with the bases loaded and finished the game with no further hits or runs scored. Norris says she was so scared she can’t remember a thing about her time on the mound.
In the final game against the St. James Cavaliers, the Warriors lost 12-8. Samantha Carpenter finished for the Warriors on the mound and Emilie Martin left her left field position and took over the catcher duties.
The Warriors won no games as expected with the weakened down crew but it learned a lot about its future players and who could play at different positions if needed and they had some fun.
Madison King led at bat going 4-6 with a triple; Leah Stephens was 2-for-6 with a triple and a RBI; Erin Hamer was 2-for-4; Sara Bass was 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBI; Samantha Carpenter was 1-for-6 with a triple and a RBI; Ravin Norris was 1-for-4; Emilie Martin got to second on an error with two RBI; and MaKenleigh Seals had two fielder’s choice hits with two RBI.
The Warriors will play today in Lake City in a 6:30 p.m. makeup game with Carolina Academy.
