FLORENCE, S.C. – Bobby Jones isn’t dwelling too much on Saturday’s 12-0, six-inning loss to Lugoff-Elgin.
“We’re going to burn this one,” the South Florence softball coach said. “This one (doesn’t) matter. It’s a one-game set Monday – winner-take-all.”
The Bruins will have more than 48 hours to move on from what was a rough game against the Demons in all three phases.
SFHS (21-9) pitching allowed 10 free bases, there were three errors in the field and the offense was held to just four hits as top-seeded L-E forced Monday’s “if” game, which South will host at 6:30 p.m. to determine the Lower State Bracket I champion.
“We get another shot Monday and I don’t think we can play as bad as we did today,” Jones said. “Free passes, errors…all those things add up. When that happens, you’re going to get beat and that’s what happened today.”
Things started off on the wrong foot as Bruins right-hander Payton Perry hit the first two batters of the game. Lugoff quickly capitalized with back-to-back RBI singles from Mallory Branham and Ella Sheron to take a 2-0 lead.
Perry worked out of a bases-loaded jam moments later, but the Demons were not close to done offensively. Three straight hits to open the third inning combined with an error and a wild pitch plated two more runs. L-E added another in fourth that scored on a wild pitch as South faced a 5-0 deficit.
That proved too big a hole to climb against Demons starter Reece Pickett. She went all six innings and struck out six compared to just two walks.
Pickett also worked her way out of a couple early jams to keep South Florence off the board. Riley Owens led off the game for South with a single, but was stranded at second after Pickett struck out the final two batters of the inning.
Ryliegh Hux doubled to lead off the second, but she too was left there as Pickett got the next three outs. The Bruins manged just three baserunners the rest of the game.
“You’ve got to score to win and we didn’t do that,” Jones said. “We didn’t execute when we needed to.”
Katie Catoe and Blakely Blue had the other two hits for South.
Aubre Moore led a potent speed game for Lugoff with three stolen bases on the day. She also had three hits and scored four times.
Branham also had three hits for L-E while Sheron and Lexie Stout each had two.
L-E 202 134 – 12 11 1
SF 000 000 – 0 4 3
WP – Reece Pickett (6 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 6 K, 2 BB). LP – Payton Perry (4 2/3 IP, 8 R, 4 ER, 9 H, 3 K, 4 BB, 2 HBP).
LEADING HITTERS – SF: Riley Owens 1-3, SB; Katie Catoe 1-2, BB; Ryliegh Hux 1-3, 2B; Blakely Blue 1-2.
RECORD: SF 21-9
NEXT GAME: South Florence will host Lugoff-Elgin on Monday at 6:30 p.m. to determine the Lower State Bracket I champion.
May 13, 2023 | Morning News (Florence, SC)
Author/Byline: JUSTIN DRIGGERS Morning News jdriggers@florencenews.com | Section: Sports