Quad finishes 2nd at State Championship

Quad American Legion Softball Team Lower State Champions. Front Row: Alyssa Poston, Isa Rivas, Katelyn Church, Savannah Evans, Ashton Goodwin, Tatum Weaver, Madie Andrews, Gracelyn Flowers
Back Row: Larissa Siders, Ary McPhail, Amber Rogers, Cadon Thompson, Naya Jones, Gracie Blackwell, Dakota Melancon
Not pictured: Angelle Siders and Coaches Lee Andrews, Chris Weaver, and Taylor Watford. PHOTO BY PHYLLIS CAPLES

By: Don Gearhart

The Lady Legion State Championship game was played at Patriot Park in Sumter. Former New York Yankee, Bobby Richardson, led an inspired invocation to set the stage for an exceptional evening of play. Richardson remains the only player to ever win a World Series MVP while playing for the losing team in the Series. His 12 RBI in the series is also a record that still stands.
Upper State Champ, Greenwood, opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when a leadoff base hit came around to score on a fielder’s choice. Greenwood scored again in the bottom of the second the exact same way and carried a 2-0 lead through three innings.
Larissa Siders led off the top of the fourth inning for Darlington-based Quad team with a leg-double. She stole third and scored when the throw to third sailed into left field. N’Yah Jones followed with an infield base hit and moved all the way to third base on a throwing error to try and record the out at first. Madie Andrews then blasted a double over the outfielder’s heads to allow Jones to cross the plate. A controversial tag play eliminated The Quad from adding to their total but the game was now tied at 2-2.
Neither team was able to mount a threat in the fifth inning. The Quad looked for a little two-out lightening in the top of the sixth when Andrews collected her second hit of the game. When Ari McPhail smoked a liner right up the middle, the cheers from the visitor’s sideline were silenced when the Greenwood pitcher literally snagged the line drive to record the third out of the inning. Andrews recorded a strikeout to start the bottom of the sixth but walked the next batter. A fielder’s choice retired the lead runner for the second out. After a stolen base, a swinging bunt down the third base line put runners on the corners with Greenwood’s best hitter at the plate. A wild pitch enabled one run to score and then a double down the left field line drove in an insurance run and Greenwood led 4-2 with The Quad having one last time at bat.
Ashton Goodwin kept The Quad’s hopes alive with a one-out base hit, but pinch-hitter Angelle Siders was retired on strikes and Katelyn Church was retired on a ground ball to third to end the game.
The Quad finished their inaugural season with a 14-1-1 record.

Author: Stephan Drew

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