By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Lady Warriors traveled to Darlington County Friday for a non-region game with the Lady Titans of Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate School and took a heart breaking 10-7 loss.
Due to illness and injury, the Warriors traveled with eight regular varsity girls and moved Makinleigh Seals up from the junior varsity team to post a nine player team for this game. The Warriors gave their best effort of the season and actually lead for most of the game but a late rally from the Titans proved too much in the end.
The Warriors jumped out early with a 2-1 lead in the first inning. Inning two was scoreless but the Warriors leaped ahead 5-1 in inning three. The Titans had a big fourth inning and took a 6-5 lead. The Warriors tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the fifth but a big at bat moved the Titans out front 10-6 as the inning closed. The Warriors added their final run in the sixth inning to close the gap at 10-7. The Warriors held the Titans in the sixth but could not get a rally going in the seventh and the game ended with the 10-7 Warrior loss.
The Warriors scored more runs in this game than they scored in the previous games combined this season. The Warriors put 17 runners on base with only one of those batters getting to base on a walk.
At bat for the Warriors, Kathryn Brown was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a stolen base; Jamie Carpenter was 1-for-3, also getting to base on an error and a walk, scoring two runs with two stolen bases; and Madison King was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and scoring a run. King was caught in a force play at third and home. King was used in this position at practice and had become very sly at slipping between the throwers and made it look easy scoring this run.
Lauren Lee was 1-for-4 with a triple, also getting to base on a fielder’s choice with two RBIs and a stolen base and scored two runs; Sarah Fitzgibbon was 1-for-4, getting to base on a fielder’s choice with two RBI and scoring a run; Makinleigh Seals was 1-for-3; Makalai Sweat got to base on two errors with a RBI and two stolen bases; Katie Tyner made it to base on two fielder’s choice hits with a RBI, and Ansley Hamer got to base on a fielder’s choice.
On defense, Jamie Carpenter struck out three with no walked batters. Outfielders Madison King, Ansley Hamer, and Katie Tyner performed very well with King getting a double play. Sarah Fitzgibbon stole some hits from the Titans with her glove at short stop.
Catcher Lauren Lee and first baseman Kathryn Brown played outstanding defense. Brown had her best game of the season on offense and defense. Makalai Sweat at third and Jamie Carpenter on the mound also had some good glove play and first time varsity player Makinleigh Seals played very good ball.
The Warriors ended their season Monday at Warrior Field with a region game against Williamsburg Academy. The team observed senior week and Head Coach Norm Norton said goodbye to two of his best players, Lauren Lee and Kathryn Brown. I will miss two of my best friends, also known as BROWNLEE the famous singing duo.
