Latta’s Lady Vikings traveled to Cheraw for the Spring Swing Softball Classic battling back from a 13-3 loss to North Myrtle Beach to claim the tournament title with a 12-0 win over Rock Hill.
The Vikings opened the tournament on Monday with an 11-4 win over the McBee Panthers.
Latta picked up three runners in the top of the first inning and added eight in the second for the win. McBee scored their four runs in the bottom of the first.
Dori Webster pitched one inning for one walk and one out, and Kurstin Hopkins made an appearance for two hits, four runs, four earned runs, and three walks.
McBee’s Atkinson gave up one hit, two runs,, one earned run, and two walks on the mound, striking out one. Thomas gave up four hits, eight runs, eight earned runs, and five walks, and struck out two.
At bat for the Vikings, Genesis Anderson went 2-for-2 with three RBI, a double, and one run scored; Madison Owens was 1-for-1 with a double and two runs; Dori Webster went 1-for-1 with one RBI; Maddy Long went 1-for-2 with one run; Casey Prescott scored two runs with one stolen base; Brooke Carter scored two runs with a stolen base; and Kyra Grant, Kaleigh Caulder, and Camryn Sawyer each scored one run, with Sawyer also stealing a base.
For the Panthers, McKenzie went 1-for-1 for a double with two RBI; Johnson went 1-for-1; Windham picked up one RBI; and Thomas, Price, and Atkinson each scored one run.
In their second game of the tournament, Latta fell 13-3 to North Myrtle Beach.
Kyra Grant hit a triple to score the first run for Latta in the top of the first, but the Chiefs picked up five runners in the bottom of the inning with two drawing walks and one reaching on a hit by pitch. North Myrtle Beach picked up five more runs in the second with two walks, two errors, and a bases clearing home run from Emmalee Ballard.
Latta scored two more runs in the top of the third with Camryn Sawyer reaching on a single, advancing on a double from Madison Owens, and scoring on a single from Macy Hyatt that helped bring Owens home to leave Latta trailing 10-3. But the Chiefs sealed the win in the bottom of the inning, picking up three more runs off a fielder’s choice and two singles. A double from Ballard brought in the runners to end the game on the 10-run rule.
Ballard pitched all three innings for North Myrtle Beach, allowing six hits, three runs, three earned runs, and two walks. For the Vikings, Arica Gandy pitched one inning for three hits, 10 runs, five earned runs, four walks, one hit by pitch, one homer, and one out. Dori Webster pitched one and two-thirds innings for three hits, three runs, three earned runs, one hit by pitch, and one out.
For the Chiefs, Ballard was 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, seven RBI, and two runs scored; Myatt Hardwick went 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs; and Makala Gore went 1-for-1 with two runs. Julie Cole scored three runs for the Chiefs; Ryani Newman scored two; and Serrah Ballard added one.
For Latta, Hyatt went 1-for-2 for two RBI; Owens went 1-for-2 with a double, one RBI, and one run; Grant went 1-for-2 for a triple with one run scored; Sawyer went 1-or-2 with one run; and Maddy Long and Casey Prescott each went 1-for-1. Latta had six hits and three errors in the effort.
In their last game on Monday, the Vikings earned a 3-1 win over Lancaster.
Latta picked up their first run in the top of the third with Grant hitting a double and advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Sawyer before scoring. The Vikings added two runs in the fifth with Sawyer reaching on a single and Owens hitting a home run for a 3-0 lead. Lancaster scored their only run in the bottom of the fifth, reaching on a single from Cauthen and advancing to score on a double from Robinson.
Webster got the win, pitching 4.1 innings for four hits, one run, one earned run, and three outs. For the Lady Bruins, Ealy pitched 3.2 innings for five hits, three runs, three earned runs, one walk, and one homer. Clinton pitched one inning for Lancaster for one walk and two outs.
Sawyer went 2-for-2 at bat for Latta with one run scored; Owens went 1-for-2 with a home run, three RBI, and one run; Grant went 1-for-3 for a double and one run; and Hyatt went 1-for-2.
For Lancaster, Robinson was 1-for-2 for a double and one RBI; Cauthen was 1-for-2 with one run scored; Clinton went 1-for-2; and Robinson went 1-for-2.
On Tuesday, Latta took on Rock Hill’s Bearcats for a 12-0 win for the title.
Latta picked up their first run in the top of the first with a double from Grant, who advanced on errors to score. No one could score again until the top of the fifth when the Vikings brought in two runners on errors and passed balls.
In the sixth, Latta picked up four more runs with four doubles, scoring Anderson, Long, Sawyer, and Grant. The Vikings capped the win with five runs in the seventh, with Anderson, Sawyer, and Owens reaching on walks and Hopkins and Grant both reaching on singles. A double from Caulder brought in the runners to seal the win.
Webster got the win on the mound, pitching a complete game for two hits, one walk, and one hit by pitch, striking out four. Paige Love took the loss for Rock Hill, pitching all seven innings for 11 hits, 12 runs, eight earned runs, six walks, one wild pitch, and one out.
At bat, Grant went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI, a stolen base, and four runs scored; Anderson went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs; Webster went 2-for-5; Caulder was 1-for-4 with a double and three RBI; Hyatt was 1-for-5 for a double and two RBI; Sawyer was 1-for-4 with a double, one RBI, and two runs; Long was 1-for-3 for a double with one RBI and one run; Hopkins was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs; and Owens picked up one run with one RBI. Latta had 11 hits and three errors in the win.
For Rock Hill, Rebekah Addison and Paige Love went 1-for-3. The Bearcats had six errors in the effort.
Latta improves to 15-4 overall and holds a 3-0 record in Region 8-A.
The Lady Vikings will return to regular season action on the road at Green Sea-Floyds on Tuesday, April 7.
