The Quad Claims Lower State Championship
By: Don Gearhart
The Quad Lady Legion softball team claimed the Lower State Championship at Palmetto Park in Sumter. The Quad, now 14-0-1 on the season, has scored 198 runs while only giving up 13 in those fifteen contests including eight shutout victories.
First Round Game:
Irmo visited The Quad at Darlington High School and was welcomed with a 22-0 loss to the home team. Larissa Siders led the attack for The Quad collecting three hits, scoring three times, and driving in four runs. She homered and doubled among her three hits. Alyssa Poston also had three hits, scored four runs, and drove in two. She tripled twice on the night. Naya Jones chipped in with three hits, three runs scored, and drove in three runs. Madie Andrews had two doubles and Dakota Melancon had two hits including a two-bagger. Amber Rogers and Katelyn Church also had doubles as The Quad had nine extra base hits among their nineteen total hits. Andrews pitched the first three innings and Poston closed the door with one inning of scoreless pitching.
Second Round Game:
Next up for The Quad was Post 17 from Camden. After a scoreless top of the first The Quad struck first when Alyssa Poston walked, stole second base, and score on a Naya Jones double. A solo homerun by the visitors tied the game in the top of the second but The Quad built the lead again in their half of the inning. Ashton Goodwin walked, Amber Rogers singled, and both scored on Poston’s triple. Larissa Siders singled home Poston to build a 4-1 lead.
The Quad added a run in the bottom of the third when Gracelyn Flowers singled and came home on Goodwin’s double. Poston led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homerun. Jones singled, then scored when Madie Andrews flyout was dropped for an error and The Quad now led 7-1.
In the bottom of the fifth Flowers led off with a walk and scored on Goodwin’s double. Amber Rogers was hit by a pitch and Poston drove in a run with a bunt single. Siders then delivered the walk-off single driving in two runs to end the game via the 10-run rule with a final score of 11-1.
Poston led The Quad with a three-hit night including the homer and a triple while scoring four time and driving in four runs. Siders collected two hits and drove in three runs. Jones had two hits including a double and Goodwin collected two doubles. Poston got the win in the circle tossing five innings of one run on four hits while striking out nine batters.
Lower State Championship:
The Quad got things started with two outs in the top of the first inning when N’yah Jones walked and promptly stole second base. She came around to score on a Madie Andrews base hit. In the bottom of the second inning, the Post 15 Lady Legends from Sumpter did something no other team had done; they put The Quad behind in a contest. A single, walk and an infield error tied the game but a deep homerun on the next pitch made the score 4-1 in favor of the Lady Legends.
The Quad responded in the top of the third. Larissa Siders singled as did Jones. Andrews grounder was snagged by the pitcher who proceeded to throw the ball away while trying to get the force out at third. Two run scored on the error and The Quad tightened the deficit to a run at 4-3.
The Quad fourth started when Amber Rogers got aboard on an error. Pinch Runner, Gracie Blackwell stole second and scored when her attempt to steal third was thrown away. Alyssa Poston hit a double and moved to third on a throwing error back to the infield. Siders placed a bunt single over the pitcher’s head to drive in Poston.. A Jones triple plated Siders and Andrews drove in the fourth run of the inning with a fielder’s choice. The Quad took a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
Poston took over for Andrews in the circle and stymied the Lady Legends. The Quad kept up the onslaught in the top of the fifth. Katelyn Church led off with a single and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. Siders drove her home with a base hit. Jones and Andrews walked to load the bases. A fielder’s choice by Ary McPhail scored Siders and Jones came across the plate when Rogers’ grounder was misplayed. The 10-4 lead for The Quad took them to the bottom of the fifth.
Two more runs scored in the sixth inning. Poston singled and scored on a Siders triple. Siders scored when the throw to the infield was misplayed.
The seventh inning saw another 3-spot for The Quad. Andrews was hit by a pitch and was replaced on the basepaths by Isabell Rivas. McPhail and Flowers both walked to load the bases. Two runs scored on Ashton Goodwin’s base hit and Church drove home the third run with a single. With three outs to go, The Quad commanded a 15-4 lead. Poston shut the door in the bottom of the seventh retiring all three batters she faced.
Siders led the 17-hit offense with a four hit performance including a triple. She also scored four runs and drove in three. Goodwin had three hits and drove in two runs. Jones collected two hits and scored four runs while driving in one run. Poston had two hits including a double and scored twice. Church had two hits, scored a run and drove in another.
Andrews pitched the first three innings and Poston threw the final four innings.
Next up for The Quad is the State Championship against Post 20 from Greenwood.
