Lady Falcons off to good start in region play, pick up three wins in Grand Strand Softball Classic
Darlington High Sschool Varsity Softball Team 2016
Photo by Jana E. Pye
By Will Isgett
Heading into its county and region showdown with Hartsville two weeks ago, the Darlington Lady Falcons were perfect in the region with convincing wins over Lakewood, Crestwood and Manning. Even with a 5-0 loss to the Lady Red Foxes, the team is still making strides and with good play down the stretch the team could possibly finish no worse than second in the region, with one big game against Marlboro County and a home date with Hartsville still left on the schedule.
In the loss to Hartsville, the Lady Falcons picked up no hits off of University of South Carolina signee Cayla Drotar.
The Lady Falcons only trailed 2-0 through three innings to the defending Class 3A lower state champions, but Hartsville scored three runs in the fifth inning to put the game away.
The two teams will meet in Darlington on April 22.
Heading into the Hartsville game, the Lady Falcons hosted Dillon last Wednesday but fell to the Lady Wildcats 5-1.
Dillon scored all five of its runs in the first inning off Darlington starter Bailey Yarborough, who was replaced on the mound by seventh grader Maddie Cole Andrews.
Andrews held the powerful Lady Wildcats at bay giving up only five hits and had three strikeouts.
Darlington scored its lone run of the game in the bottom of the first inning as Kadasia Damon beat out a throw to first base on a bunt, and then came around to score on an RBI groundout by Destiny Stidham.
In the win against Lakewood, Andrews picked up the win on the mound pitching two innings and striking out four.
Sydney Blackmon went 2-for-2 with three RBI and Ryanne Weatherford added two RBI. Stidham knocked in three runs for Darlington.
Against Manning, the Lady Falcons dominated for a 17-3 win. Chloe Hicks pitched a complete game giving up eight hits and striking out seven. Hicks also went 3-for-5 with two RBI and Stidham had a double, homerun and four RBI.
During Spring Break the Lady Falcons traveled to Myrtle Beach to participate in the Grand Strand Softball Classic going 3-1 in pool play with their only loss to coming to Greenbrier East (WV) 2-1. Darlington beat Virginia High School 12-0, downed Hedgesville (WV) 13-3 and took care of Pigeon Forge (TN) 13-0 on the final day.
