PHOTO GALLERY: Lady Wildcats Edge Out East Clarendon

The Dillon Lady Wildcats edged East Clarendon 5-4 in varsity softball action played in Dillon on Friday, March 10.
Tori Grimsley pitched a complete game. She struck out 3, allowed 7 hits, 4 runs of which 2 were earned, and walked one.
Olivia Singletary pitched 6 innings for East Clarendon. She allowed 6 hits, 5 runs of which 3 were earned, walked 2, and struck out 4.
East Clarendon jumped off to a 1-0 lead when Caitlyn Timmons managed a hit to deep right field and scored.
The Dillon Lady Wildcats scored 2 runs in the bottom of the first inning when Johnna Rogers led off with a walk, and Skylar McCoy homered. Dillon threatened again in the bottom of the first with runners on the corners but were unable to get anyone across home plate.
In the top of the second inning, East Clarendon was retired 1-2-3 by the Dillon team behind the pitching of Tori Grimsley.
In the bottom of the second Emilee Price was hit by a pitch who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jayla Goodwin. Auh’Kieria Smiling connected for a single that placed runners on the corners. Johnna Rogers garnered a walk. Skylar McCoy struck out swinging with the bases loaded. Brittany Miller grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat.
The East Clarendon team went down 1-2-3 fashion in the top of the third.
The Dillon Lady Wildcats were retired in the same fashion in the bottom of the third.
Caitlyn Timmons for East Clarendon led off the top of the fourth with a single but the next 3 hitters were retired to quelch any threat.
Once again the Dillon Lady Wildcats were retired in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the fourth with the score Dillon 2 and East Clarendon 1.
It appears the game was becoming a pitching duel.
East Clarendon’s Abby Reardon hit a grounder to Dillon’s second baseman, Taylor Blackmon, who threw the runner out at first. Mikayla Anderson hit a hot one up the middle for a single. However, the next two batters were retired. With two outs, Elly Floyd, connected for a double to left and picked up 2 rbi to give East Clarendon a 3-2 lead.
Johnna Rogers went down swinging to start the top of the fifth for Dillon. Skylar McCoy hit a hot grounder between third and the shortstop for a single. Brittany Miller hit a long one to left, and Dillon now had runners on first and second with only one out. Ashley Phillips hit one to center for out 2. Tori Grimsley for Dillon hit one to left for a double and 1 run scored leaving runners on second and third, and the game tied at 3. Taylor Blackmon hit one to second that was bobbled. She was safe at first and a run scored. Emilee Price hit a slow grounder to the shortstop to end the inning. After 5 innings of play Dillon was up 5-3.
Gracen Watts for East Clarendon popped up a low one to Johnna Rogers at shortstop who made the play. On the very next play Kinsley Driggers popped up a high one to Rogers at shortstop who bobbled it, and the runner was safe at first. Olivia Singletary sacrificed a grounder to third to advance the runner at first to second. Abby Reardon hit a hard one to left for a double and a rbi. Mikayla Anderson for East Clarendon lined one to Johnna Rogers at shortstop to end the inning. After 5 1/2 innings, Dillon’s lead was cut to 1 run, 5-4.
Jayla Goodwin for Dillon flied out to left to begin the bottom of the fifth. Auh’Kieria, “Lefty”, Smiling hit a hot grounder by second. Johnna Rogers struck out swinging. Skylar McCoy hit a grounder to the shortstop who committed an error, and Dillon once again had runners on second and third with 2 outs. Brittany Miller popped up to end the inning.
Molly Floyd for East Clarendon led off the top of the seventh inning with a popped foul down the first base line that a great catch by Brittany Miller turned it into an out. Bailey Evans for East Clarendon was retired when she hit a grounder to Tori Grimsley. Elly Floyd for East Clarendon was safe at first on a grounder to second that was fielded but the throw was not in time. Caitlyn Timmons for East Clarendon hit one up the middle for a single, and runners were on first and second with 2 outs. Gracen Watts was retired when she struck out watching.
The Dillon Lady Wildcats will play Waccamaw today, (Tuesday, March 14), at 6:30 p.m.