PREP SOFTBALL
FLORENCE – Sticking to the game plan has been what’s worked all season for the West Florence softball team.
So Saturday was no different, and it led to a 10-0, five-inning rout of Colleton County.
What is different this time, however, is the Knights are now one of 4A’s final four teams after capturing the Lower State Bracket II title against the Cougars.
West (17-8) will face either South Florence or Lugoff-Elgin next Wednesday in the opening game of the lower state championship series. Those two teams meet Monday in a winner-take-all scenario.
“It’s a good win for us,” WFHS coach Aundres Perkins said. “We played a great Colleton County team…played great defense behind (Annie Ruth Eliason)…our bats were hot today, so great effort.
“I’m proud of the girls and I’m proud of the way we played.”
Eliason started in the circle and turned in another dominant performance. She went all five innings and struck out five and did not issue a walk.
Maggie Kennedy’s fifth-inning single was the only baserunner the Knights right-hander allowed all game.
“She always does a good job hitting her spots,” West third baseman Logan Moore said. “…She’s unstoppable up there whenever she’s ready and in her head. She’s got it.”
Eliason was also backed by a relentless WFHS offense that scored in every inning. The Knights jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first and tacked on single runs in the second and third innings before plating five more over the last two frames.
Moore played a big part with two hits and three runs driven in on the afternoon.
“(Perkins) told us where (they) were going to pitch us, so we practiced that all yesterday,” Moore said. “So we put what we did in practice into how we played and it really worked out for us.
“…It keeps up the energy when we score and keeps us happy and cheerful through the game.”
Madi Dubose had two doubles for West and drove in a run. Summer Holland went 2 for 3 with a double and a RBI and Mia Boykin added a solo homer in the fourth.
Ashlyn Daisy, Eliason and Ava Gainey all wound up driving in runs for the Knights, who finished with 12 hits.
“The girls have responded well to all the challenges thus far this season,” Perkins said. “We’re just going to keep being hungry and humble. That’s our motto and we’re just going to stick to the script.”
May 14, 2023 | Morning News (Florence, SC)
Author/Byline: JUSTIN DRIGGERS Morning News jdriggers@florencenews.com | Section: The Next Challenge