Hartsville softball sweeps South Florence
By Don Gearhart
Having defeated South Florence 2-1 in extra innings earlier this season, Hartsville anticipated another tough game against the Lady Bruins. It started out that way, for sure. The Lady Bruins leadoff hitter, Larissa Siders, fought off a two-strike count and lofted a short fly ball that landed between Hartsville’s second baseman, first baseman, and right fielder. Siders stole second base and then scored when her attempt to steal third base resulted in a throwing error when nobody covered the base. Other than that one blemish, Alyssa Poston struck out the next three batters. Hartsville attempted to even the score after Olivia Martin walked and Poston beat out an infield hit. They were both stranded when the next two batters flied out and grounded out.
Katie Catoe singled to lead of the Lady Bruins second inning. After striking out the next two batters, Poston issued her only free pass of the night before striking out the next batter to end the inning. The Lady Red Foxes managed a base on balls by Avarie Easters in their half of the inning but could not manage a scoring threat.
After two outs in the third inning, Keke Fulton tripled into the left-center gap but Shania Clarke’s sinking liner to center was snared by Kindon Dawson to retire the side. In Hartsville’s half of the third inning, Myah Harvey was hit by a pitch, then promptly sacrificed to second base by Martin. After a ground out, Caydon Thompson was intentionally walked to create a force out situation but Dawson delivered with an RBI single to score Harvey. Abbey Byrd’s grounder to third was misplayed to load the bases. Maddie Johnson, pinch hitting, hit a flyball to right field but was caught to end the tally. Hartsville, though, had tied the score entering the second half of the game.
Catoe led off the fourth with her second hit and advanced to second when the ball was misplayed in center field. Payton Perry attempted to sacrifice bunt was that failed when first baseman, Carter Shumate, charged the bunt attempt and made a diving catch just before the ball hit the ground. A second sacrifice bunt by Sidney Morgan was successful, but Poston bore down and struck out the next batter to strand the lead run from scoring. After two outs in the Lady Red Foxes half of the fourth, Harvey got aboard via a base on balls. Martin’s groundout to short ended the inning.
The Lady Bruins fifth inning was the first time they were retired in order although not in the conventional manner. With two outs, Alaina Floyd singled. She was subsequently thrown out trying to steal second on a strong throw from Martin and tag from Harvey covering the bag. Thompson’s soft fly single over the second baseman’s head was the only damage Hartsville could muster in the bottom of the fifth.
Clarke’s single in the sixth was all South Florence could manage and after Hartsville was retired in order in their half, the game looked like a repeat of the earlier contest.
The Lady Bruins were retired in order to start the seventh and it opened the door for Hartsville to end the game without going into extra frames. Harvey led off with a double that hugged the left field foul line. After Martin was retired, South Florence elected to intentionally walk Poston to create force outs at all bases. Thompson hit a grounder to short that advanced the runners and caused the only controversy of the night. The throw to first was inside the bag. When the fielder moved in front of the bag to make the catch, there was no way for Thompson to touch the base. This clear case of obstruction caused the umpires to discuss on two different occasions. In the end, they ruled Thompson out, much to the chagrin of the Hartsville faithful. Not wanting Dawson to drive in the winning run, she was intentionally walked to lead the bases. Abbey Byrd didn’t waste any time and blasted the first pitch to the wall in left-center. What would have been a double or triple went into the scorebook as a walk-off RBI single to win the game for Hartsville.
Hartsville was outhit 6-5 but managed to collect five walks and two hit-by-pitch to keep threats alive. Harvey had the only extra base hit for the Lady Red Foxes. Catoe had two of the Lady Bruins six hits.
Poston was the winning pitcher, striking out ten batters and issuing just one free pass. On the season, she has won 14 games, striking out 157 in 93 innings. On the season, when has only given up 59 hits and 13 earned runs. She also leads the team with a 0.566 batting average including six triples, five doubles, and 13 RBI. Harvey is batting at a 0.472 clip with a triple, five doubles, and nine RBI. Thompson is batting 0.377. She has clouted two homeruns, a triple, five doubles and a team-leading 20 RBI.