Crazy Eights jump start The Quad to Lower State Finals
By Don Gearhart
Round 1
Two eight run innings to start the first round of the Ladies American Legion playoffs will get the juices flowing. That’s exactly what The Quad pulled off against the Post 15 Lady Storm. Combined with a four-hit, no runs, four strikeout performance in the circle from Trinity Davis, The Quad’s 16-0 win ended after the top of the third via the 15-run rule.
The big first inning was highlighted by two RBI each from Whitney Turner and Alyssa Poston. The second 8-run outburst started with consecutive base hits from Caydon Thompson, Ramzee Williams, and Savannah Parker. Then with two outs, Jaysha McCullough walked and Poston drove home two more runs with a base hit. Katelyn Church added two RBI with a single and the scoring was capped with a three-run homer from Thompson.
Poston collected three hits for The Quad and got two-hit support from Church, Ashton Goodwin, Thompson, and Parker.
Round 2
The second round of the playoffs featured an unknown rival for The Quad in the Post 6 Lady Patriots from Richland County. The game started out clean for The Quad with Alyssa Poston striking out the first three batters she faced. The Quad jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Poston walked to start the inning and scored on Olivia Martin’s base hit.
That lead didn’t last long as on a one ball, one strike count, Josie Smythe went long ball for a solo homerun. An out later, Keeley Hughes duplicated Smythe’s at-bat with a homer of her own and the Lady Patriots took a 2-1 lead. Ramzee Williams walked to lead off the bottom of the second and moved to third on Savannah Parker’s double. Both runners scored on a double from Jaysha McCullough. Poston made it three doubles in a row to drive in McCullough. She scored on Katelyn Church’s RBI single and when a throwing error got away, Church rounded the bases to give The Quad a 6-2 lead.
The Quad garnered a three-spot in the bottom of the third thanks to three walks, two hits, and a sacrifice fly to increase their lead to 9-2. A five-run fourth moved the score to 14-2. Caydon Thompson got things started with a base hit and Ashton Goodwin got aboard via error. That led the way for Williams double that scored two runs. Dakota Melancon doubled to plate another run and Paker’s hit put two runners aboard. Church drove both those runners home with a base hit.
Makenzie Kubas took over on the mound in the top of the fifth and gave up the final two runs for Post 6 in a game that ended after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Poston recorded ten strikeouts while giving up two runs on four hits. Offensively, Church, Williams, Parker, and McCullough collected two hits apiece.