Dillon’s #7 Rebecca Callahan hits one to the left for a triple to start the bottom of the sixth against Aynor. (Photo by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD.)
In Thursday’s opening game, the Wildcats shut out Lake Marion 16-0 in three innings, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first before picking up 12 runners in the second. Dillon padded the win with three more runs in the third for the 16-0 shut out.
Johnna Rogers earned the win on the mound for Dillon, pitching three no-hitter innings for one walk and five outs. Lake Marion’s Johnson took the loss, pitching three innings for 13 hits, 16 runs, 13 earned runs, and five walks.
At bat for Dillon, Shayna Covington went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI; Tara Grimsley went 2-for-3 with one RBI; Shaquailla German went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI; Rebecca Callahan went 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI; and Shar’Asia Samuel went 2-for-2 with three RBI. The Wildcats had 13 hits in the win.
In Saturday’s second round, the Wildcats hosted region foe Aynor, and took a 4-2 loss from the Lady Blue Jackets.
Aynor picked up their first two runs in the top of the first inning as the Blue Jackets hit one over second base for a double and two RBI. In the bottom of the inning, Dillon’s Shayna Covington hit one by the third baseman for a single, but got caught stealing. Tara Grimsley flew out, and Shaquailla German hit a double to left field, but got caught in a rundown between second and third.
Aynor singled to start off the second inning and popped one over third for the first out, but a hit to left scored the runner to give the Blue Jackets a 3-0 lead. Aynor scored again on a fly over second for a 4-0 lead with one out. A Blue Jacket runner was caught stealing for the second out, and after Wildcat pitcher Taylor Price walked the next batter, Aynor flew out to right for the third out.
Dillon’s Erin Bailey ground out to start the bottom of the inning, but Rebecca Callahan hit one down the third base line for a double. Price hit a long fly to left for the second out but advanced Callahan to third, and Da’Kerhia Samuel hit a slow one to the short stop for a single to score Callahan and leave the Wildcats down 4-1.
Aynor singled at the top of the third but the next two batters struck out and the fourth lined one to second for out three. Dillon’s Shar’Asia Samuel struck out to open the bottom of the inning, but Covington bunted to third to make it safely to first. Tara Grimsley fouled down third and Covington stole second on a passed ball. Grimsley flew out to center for the second out, and Aynor attempted to intent walk German on her turn at bat. Covington attempted to steal on ball three and made it to third safely when the second baseman missed the throw. But Bailey flew out to leave Covington stranded and the Wildcats trailing 4-1.
Aynor went three up, three down in the top of the fourth, and Dillon lead off the bottom of the inning with a grounder from Callahan, who made it safely to first. Price hit into a fielder’s choice and Callahan went out at second, and Da’Kerhia Samuel hit a grounder to third for another fielder’s choice, with Price going out at second. Auh’Keria Smiling followed with a grounder to third for the third out.
Aynor attempted to bunt in the top of the fifth for the first out, and the next two batters both ground out to end the inning quickly. Dillon’s Shar’Asia Samuel advanced safely to first and Covington bunted to advance Samuel to second. Price hit a grounder but was out at first, and German was again intentionally walked by the Aynor pitcher. With runners on third and first, Bailey flew out to end the inning.
The Lady Blue Jackets couldn’t manage a hit in the top of the sixth, but Dillon’s Callahan hit one to the left for a triple to start the bottom of the inning. Price popped one up to the short stop for the first out, but Da’Kerhia Samuel hit a grounder to short stop to reach first and score Callahan to put the Wildcats down 4-2. Smiling bunted towards third and was put out at first for the second out, and Shar’Asia Samuel hit a hopper to second for the third out.
Heading into the final inning, Aynor hit a line to center for the first out, and lined another to the right for out number two. The Blue Jackets got a hit through the gap at second and short stop to single, but the next batter struck out watching for out three. Dillon’s Covington hit a hopper to third for the first out for the Wildcats in the bottom of the inning, but Grimsley hit one up the middle for a single. German flew out to right, and Bailey got a hit to put runners on first and second. But Callahan struck out swinging on the last at bat to end the game.
Dillon now possesses a 14-2 record and was scheduled to face Timberland on Monday night in an elimination bracket game. Timberland defeated Lake Marion on Saturday to stay alive in the playoffs.
