By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Lady Warriors opened their regular season play with two road games, taking a loss to the Marlboro Academy Lady Dragons 6-4 on Thursday, March 3, and bouncing back with a big win over the Lady Titans of Trinity Collegiate 14-3 on Friday, March 4. Both games were region matches.
The Dragons are loaded with talent this year fielding one of the best teams in the school’s history. They made the early going hard on the young Warrior team, shutting down the Warrior offense in the first 5 innings with the Dragon offense posting a 5-0 lead going into the sixth inning.
The Dragons were led on the mound by Bailey Jacobs, a compact little fireball pitcher from Scotland County, NC. Bailey posted 9 strikeouts in the first four innings with no hits against the Warriors and was relieved by Megan Quick in the fifth. Quick took the mound when the Warriors were apparently starting to get over first game jitters. Quick is a very good pitcher and a talented infield player as well. Quick faced four batters in the fifth inning and kept the Warriors off the board.
The sixth inning belonged to the Warriors as the Warrior batters timed Quick’s fast ball and came away with four hard earned runs to trail the Dragons 5-4 in the top of the sixth. Jacobs relieved Quick late in the sixth inning and managed to get the Dragons out of trouble to preserve the lead. The Dragons managed one additional run in the bottom of the sixth and held on for the 6-4 win.
The Warriors were not without talent either and although this team is mostly made up of young, inexperienced players, there are some seasoned veterans that should lead this team to several wins.
Reagan Massengale is classed as one of the finest pitchers in area softball in both public and private schools. Seniors Katelyn Williams and Lauren Tyner will add power at the plate and needed skill and leadership in the field. Although Massengale ended the game with the loss she finished the game with 10 strikeouts to put her record at 402 career strikeouts, with 401 coming at the expense of Jacobs, a top rated hitter as well as a pitcher.
On the mound for the Dragons, Jacobs posted 12 strikeouts with no hits and no walked batters. Quick posted two strikeouts with three hits, a walk, and allowing four runs scored.
On the mound for the Warriors, Massengale posted 10 strikeouts, no walks, and gave up six hits with six runs scored. The young Warrior defense allowed three runs on errors. Coaches Billy Massengale and Norm Norton said that they will work to improve the Warriors fielding mistakes.
At bat for the Dragons, Jeanna Pate was 2-3 with a double and a stolen base; Katie McLaurin was 1-3 with 2 RBIs; Megan Quick was 1-3 with a double and 2 stolen bases; Kelly Crowley was 1-3 with a RBI; and Bailey Jacobs was 1-3 with a RBI.
At bat for the Warriors, Reagan Massengale was 1-3 with her first career homerun and 2 RBIs; Sarah Fitzgibbon was 1-3; Lauren Tyner was 1-3 with a RBI; and Katelyn Williams got to base on an error with a RBI.
The Warriors put the opening season loss to Marlboro Academy behind them and played a near perfect game against Trinity Collegiate on Friday, downing the Titans 14-3 in four innings. The weather was very cool and windy in Darlington at the Titan’s field but the Warriors were hot and determined not to lose two games in a row. They overpowered the Titans, scoring a run in the first, three in the second, another in the third, and nine in the fourth inning, resulting in the umpires calling the game on the mercy rule.
Reagan Massengale took the mound for the Warriors, getting the win and posting 10 strikeouts, a walk, and no hits or runs scored. Massengale was relieved in the bottom of the fourth inning by a very talented backup pitcher, Sarah Fitzgibbon. Fitzgibbon posted a strikeout, gave up one hit with two walked batters, and allowed three runs scored.
Cool weather is not often a good time to bring in a relief pitcher especially when the relief pitcher has been given little action to keep her body warm due to the power pitching of Massengale that prevented the Titan players any hits. The Warrior coaches pulled Fitzgibbon after five batters as it was clear that she or any relief pitcher would need additional warm up time under these conditions. Massengale returned and got the final two batters out to end the game in four innings.
At bat for the Warriors, Lauren Lee was 1-3 with 2 RBIs and a stolen base; Lauren Tyner was 1-4 with a double, a RBI, and a stolen base; Fitzgibbon made it to base four times on two errors, a walk, and a hit by pitch with a RBI; Kathryn Brown got to base on an error and a walk with a stolen base; and Katelyn Williams and Page White had an RBI on a fielders choice play.
All Warrior coaches were impressed by the play at catcher by Lauren Lee. Lee has never played this position before this season and is giving a 100% effort and will improve as the season progresses.
In addition to Massengale and Lee, the Warriors coaches were pleased with the play at first base by Williams and leadership of Tyner at centerfield. Kathryn Brown and Sarah Fitzgibbon should improve to be top infield players in the region by seasons end.
Coaches Billy Massengale and Norm Norton are also very pleased with the attitude and daily improvement from players Margaret Desser, Page White, Hannah Shackelford, Catherine Lechette, Courtney Miller and Ansley Hamer.
The Warriors will play at home today as they host Fairmont High School with game time set for 4pm.
