Latta’s #2 Madison Owens hits a line drive home run for three runs in the fourth inning. (Photos by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD.)
Latta’s Lady Vikings earned a 6-0 win over Dixie’s Lady Hornets on Monday night in the first round of the Class A state softball series.
The Vikings hosted game one and took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Dixie opened the game with a fly ball and Latta pitcher Dori Webster struck out the second batter before hitting two for runners on first and second. But Delanie Laudenbacher flew out to send the Vikings to bat. With Laudenbacher on the mound for the Hornets, Kaleigh Caulder led off the bottom of the inning with a single and Kyra Grant made a sacrifice bunt to advance her to second. Madison Owens followed with a single to score Caulder. Macy Hyatt got a fly for the second out, and Camryn Sawyer and Dori Webster both singled to score Owens, but Webster was thrown out at second while attempting to stretch the hit to a double.
In the top of the second, Webster retired three Hornet batters in quick succession to send the Vikings back up to bat. Genesis Anderson led off with a single and Maddy Long got a fly for the first out before Kurstin Hopkins hit into a fielder’s choice to take out Anderson. Caulder drew a walk to put two runners on base, but Grant hit a grounder to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Dixie led off with a single from Lauren Davenport, but a fly and two grounders left her stranded at second. In the bottom of the inning, Latta led off with a grounder from Owens, but Hyatt and Sawyer each got base hits to put runners on first and second. Laudenbacher struck out Webster for the second out, and Anderson hit into a fielder’s choice to put out Hyatt on the way to third.
In the fourth, Webster got three grounders from the Hornets to send the Vikings to the plate, but Latta led off the bottom of the inning with a grounder and fly. Caulder reached on a single and stole second, and Grant singled to put put runners on first and third before Owens hit a home run to score all three. Hyatt flew out to end the inning with the Lady Vikings up 5-0.
Webster struck out the lead batter for the Hornets in the top of the fifth, but Alyssa Ashley got a base hit. Davenport flew out, and Samantha Ferguson drew a walk to put runners on first and second, but Brittney Brown hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning for the Hornets. Sawyer led off the bottom of the inning with a single for the Vikings and advanced on a passed ball. Webster and Anderson both flew out, but Long reached on an error to put two runners on the bases before Hopkins hit a grounder to end the inning.
In the sixth, Webster got two grounders and a fly to shut down the Hornets quickly. The Vikings led off the bottom of the inning with a fly and a grounder before Owens hit a solo home run for the 6-0 lead. Hyatt flew out to end the inning.
Dixie took one more turn at bat in the top of the seventh, getting three grounders in a row to end the game.
Latta’s #23 Dori Webster gave up just two hits in Monday’s 6-0 win. (Photos by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD.)
Webster pitched a complete game for just two hits, one walk, and two hit by pitch, striking out five. Laudenbacher pitched six innings for 11 hits, five earned runs, two home runs, one walk, and one out. The Hornets gave up 12 hits in total.
Madison Owens led at bat for the Vikings, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, and three runs scored; Camryn Sawyer went 3-for-3; Kaleigh Caulder went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base, also reaching on a walk; Dori Webster went 1-for-3 with one RBI; Genesis Anderson went 1-for-3, also getting a fielder’s choice; Kyra Grant went 1-for-3 with one run scored and also made a sacrifice bunt; Macy Hyatt went 1-for-4; Maddy Long reached on an error; and Kurstin Hopkins hit into a fielder’s choice.
For the Hornets, Alyssa Ashley went 1-for-3; Lauren Davenport went 1-for-2; Samantha Ferguson reached on a walk; Brittney Brown had a fielder’s choice; and and Leigha Snipes and Ann Marie Ferguson both reached on a hit by pitch.
Latta improved to 30-6 overall while Dixie slipped to 28-4. Webster is 25-0 on the season for the Vikings and Monday’s game gave Owens nine home runs on the season with 45 RBI.
Latta was scheduled to travel to Due West, SC, to face Dixie at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. A win for the Vikings would give Latta their first Class A state softball title. A loss will send the teams to a third game at at a neutral site on Friday.
For Dixie, this is the third straight state series appearance. The defending champs earned back-to-back state titles in 2013 and 2014.
Photos by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD. Click the images below to view at full size! NOTE: Due to early deadlines, the complete photo gallery will not appear until next week.
