The Dillon Wildcats defeated the Latta Vikings 11-3 in varsity softball action played in Latta on Wednesday, March 16.
The Lady Wildcats took a 1-0 lead after their first at-bat with a home run by Auh’kieria Smiling.
Smiling led the Wildcats with 3 hits in 4 trips to the plate of which 2 were home runs. She picked up 4 rbi in the victory where Marissa Tyndall pitched four no-hit innings and struck out 4 to pick up the win. Tyndall came in relief of Tori Grimsley in the bottom of the third inning.
The Latta Vikings were led by Macy Hyatt who went 2 for 4 with a double and 2 rbi.
Dillon’s lead-off batter, A’Doshia Graves, hit a line drive to right field for out 1 before Smiling connected on her first of two home runs in the game to give Dillon a 1-0 lead. The ‘Cats’ Marissa Tyndall grounded out to second before Dillon’s Erin Bailey hit one over first for a single. Brittany Miller for Dillon grounded out to second for the third out in the inning.
Latta’s #4 Kaleigh Caulder led off with a strike out. Kyra Grant grounded out to second for out 2. Camryn Sawyer punched one over first for a single. Macy Hyatt hit a grounder between short stop and third for a single to place runners on first and second. Kurstin Hopkins struck out to end the inning.
Dillon’s lone hit was a single by Ashley Phillips.
Dillon had an easy bottom of the second inning as Latta went down 1, 2,and 3 outs.
Dillon’s A’Doshia Graves struck out to start the top of the third inning but Auh’kieria Smiling for Dillon hit a grounder to the short stop who had a slight bobble to give the runner the advantage and was safe at first. Marissa Tyndall hit a grounder up the middle and Dillon had runners at first and second. Erin Bailey hit a grounder to the pitcher, Arica Gandy, who threw the runner out at third. Brittany Miller hit a grounder between first and second, and a runner scored.
Latta’s Keleigh Caulder hit a grounder up the middle to start the inning with a single. Kyra Grant bunted safely, and Latta had runners on first and second. Camryn Sawyer sacrificed a bunt to move the runners to second and third. Macy Hyatt hit a grounder up the middle for a single and advanced to second on the throw while picking up 2 rbi. Genesis Anderson got a walk, and Latta once again had runners on first and second with only 1 out. Kurstin Hopkins popped up to second for out 2, and Maddy Long also popped up to second to end the inning. After 3 innings Dillon led 3-2.
Dillon’s Skylar McCoy popped up to center for out 1.Tori Grimsley hit a hot grounder to Latta’s pitcher, Arica Gandy, for out 2. Dillon’s Johnna Rogers popped up to second for out 3. Latta had an easy 1, 2, and 3 inning.
Arica Gandy picked up a walk and D’Anna Tanner was the courtesy runner. Brooke Carter hit a grounder to short stop, and the runner was thrown out at second. Kaleigh Caulder also was walked, and now Latta had runners on first and second with one out. Marissa Tyndall came in to relieve Tori Grimsley. Tyndall struck out Kyra Grant for out 2. Camryn Sawyer punched one between right and center field for a double and picked up a rbi that left runners on second and third with 2 outs. Macy Hyatt hit a grounder to second for out 3. After 4 innings the game was knotted at 3.
Dillon’s A’Doshia Graves led off with a single by first. Auh’kieria Smiling hit a home run and picked up 2 rbi to give Dillon a 5-3 lead.
Marissa Tyndall hit a grounder up the middle for a single for the only hit in the inning. The inning for Dillon ended when Brittany Miller hit a grounder to second that Latta turned a double play.
Genesis Anderson struck out to start the inning. Kurstin Hopkins lined one to right for out 2. Maddy Long struck out to end the inning.
Dillon’s Ashley Phillips hit a hot grounder to third for out 1. The ‘Cats’ Skylar McCoy hit a grounder to second that was bobbled to make the runner safe at first. Tori Grimsley bunted, and both runners were safe. Dillon’s Johnna Rogers walked…the bases were loaded with 1 out. A’Doshia Graves for Dillon hit a grounder to first but the throw to home was not in time and the runner was safe with the bases loaded. Auh’kieria Smiling hit a grounder to the second baseman, and the ball was tossed to second but was dropped. Everyone was safe, and Dillon now led 7-3. After a Latta coaching and infield players meeting at the mound, Marissa Tyndall for Dillon hit a grounder to third. She was out at first but she had picked up a rbi. Erin Bailey walked and headed to second as the runner on base scored. Brittany Miller hit one between right and center for a single and 2 rbi. Ashley Phillips for Dillon hit a fly ball to left to end the at-bat for Dillon but Dillon led 11-3.
Latta’s Arica Gandy, Brooke Carter, and Kaleigh Carter all struck out in the bottom of the sixth.
Dillon’s Skylar McCoy hit a fly to right for out 1 while Taylor Blackmon for Dillon walked. Tiffany Dwyer hit a grounder to the short stop for out 2, and A’Doshia Greaves hit a grounder to the pitcher to end the top of the seventh inning.
Kyra Grant got a walk to start the inning for Latta. Camryn Sawyer hit a fly to center for out 2, and Genesis Anderson hit a grounder to the pitcher for out 3 to end the game.
Dillon picked up the victory 11-3.
Dillon hosted East Clarendon on Thursday, March 17, and Latta travels to Green Sea Floyds today (Tuesday, March 22).
