Darlington wins first round state playoff game
Sydney Blackmon, Bailey Yarborough, Hanna Gainey and Destiny Stidham.
Photo by Jana E. Pye
By Will Isgett, Contributing Writer
After a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to county rival Hartsville early last week, the Darlington High School softball team had to regroup and get ready to host a first round Class 3A district softball state playoff game last Friday.
The Lady Falcons finished the regular season as the second place team in region 6 3A and played St. James High School the third place team from region 7 3A and beat the Lady Sharks 5-4 to advance to the second round.
South Carolina High School League softball is unique in that it pairs teams up in four upper state districts and four lower state districts, with a double elimination format. The four district winners will advance to the upper and lower state softball championships, and the winners of that will advance to the state championship round.
As this publication heads to the printers on Monday, armed with the win on Friday the Lady Falcons travel to play Midland Valley on Monday May 2. The Lady Mustangs beat Hilton Head 5-0 in its first round playoff game. If the Lady Falcons won, they will play host to the district championship game on Friday; if they lose, they will play host to an elimination game on Wednesday.
Against St. James, the Lady Falcons fell behind 1-0 early in the game but came back and took a 2-1 lead in the second inning.
The inning started as Chloe Hicks reached base on a bloop single followed by a single to center by Lillie Baumbach. Hicks came around to score on a St. James throwing error and Baumbach scored on a Haley Clark single to center field.
St. James tied the game in the top of the third inning, but the Lady Falcons took the lead again in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Destiny Stidham fielder’s choice RBI that scored Baumbach who had singled earlier in the inning.
The Lady Sharks didn’t quit, they tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning but Darlington took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning as Deja Turner beat out a throw to first after a bunt and came around to score on a St. James fielding error that allowed Stidham to reach base again. Another Lady Shark fielding error allowed Stidham to score and the Lady Falcons led 5-3.
St. James added a run in the seventh inning but it wasn’t enough as the Lady Falcons advanced in the winner’s bracket of the district playoffs.
In its last regular season match up of the season against Hartsville, the Lady Falcons entered the contest with a chance to win the region 6 3A championship.
The only region loss Darlington had entering the game was to Hartsville, and the Lady Falcons gave the Lady Red Foxes all they could handle but fell just short.
Darlington took an early 1-0 lead against Hartsville as Kadasia Damon walked and came around to score on a double by Hanna Gainey. The Lady Red Foxes tied the game in the bottom of the third inning on a throwing error to third by Darlington.
Hartsville took the lead for good in the fifth inning on another throwing error to third. Both of the Lady Red Fox runs were unearned.
Darlington ended a successful region season by going 8-2 with wins two wins each over Marlboro County, Crestwood, Lakewood and Manning. The game also ended the high school softball careers for four seniors, Sydney Blackmon, Bailey Yarborough, Hanna Gainey and Destiny Stidham.
It has been an honor and privileged to cover and write about Darlington High School athletics for almost 19 years now. I have been to many games over the years including softball, basketball, football, baseball, volleyball, wrestling matches, track meets and cross country events. As many of you know, I suffer from Muscular Dystrophy and I have decided that it’s time to finally to take a break away from everything and focus on myself. I thank the many wonderful coaches, athletic directors, administrators, parents, players and fans that I have the opportunity to meet and get to know over the years. Even though I’m a graduate of St. John’s High School, I’m a Blue Devil, but I’ll always be a Darlington Falcon in my heart. Go Falcons!!
[Editor’s Note: It has been our honor to have Will Isgett share his gifts and talents with the readers of the News & Press. We are happy that he is going to take some much needed time for himself – something he rarely does!]
