PDA softball team is 8-2 heading into spring break

By CHRIS LANE

Sports Correspondent

Pee Dee Academy’s softball team made a statement two weekends ago, traveling to Colleton Prep and downing some of the AA heavyweights that will be playing in mid-May. And, last week, with a chance to back it up, they finished 2-1 heading into spring break.

The first of the set was a trip to Lake City to face the defending state champions, the Carolina Bobcats. The Golden Eagles downed their rivals in the weekend tournament, but fell behind 3-0 early in this one. The bats did not come around until the fourth when Kelsey Dozier and Alex Powers attempted to lead a comeback, drawing the blue and gold to within one at 3-2.

Two more runs in the top of the fifth tied the score at 4. But Carolina would plate a pair in the bottom of the same frame and escape with a 6-4 win.

Two days later, Pee Dee took out their frustrations on the Williamsburg Stallions. The first inning saw fourteen Golden Eagle batters go to the plate and nine runs cross the dish. The big blows were a 3-run triple from senior catcher, Alex Pittman, and another RBI double by Rachel Hester. Six others would hit singles in the opening stanza and the road team put this one away early.

With Summer Collins on the mound and solid defense behind her, Williamsburg was never able to mount a rally. Single runs in the second and the fifth would finish off the 11-0 victory for Pee Dee.

Collins would finish the game with the shutout, yielding only two hits with two strikeouts and zero walks.

Finally, the Golden Eagles would return home for a date with Thomas Sumter. It was a contest that would see the blue and gold get the win, but one of sloppy defense that could have slipped away.

“Our bats are starting to really come around,” Pee Dee coach Wes Daniels noted, “but solid fielding is going to be the key for us.”

The Golden Eagles fell behind 1-0 early, but Christen Bucy settled down and soon found herself with a lead. Five runs in the bottom of the second got the home team some breathing room, but by the time the bottom of the sixth rolled around, it was 5-4.

Daleigh Huggins and Alex Powers, who both finished the day with three hits, were instrumental in helping plate an insurance run in the sixth that finished the 6-4 Pee Dee win.

Huggins, a freshmen, finished 3 for 3 with a double and a run scored and Powers would end her day 3 for 4 with an RBI.

Bucy would get the win pitching, going the full seven innings, giving up only four hits with five K’s.

After grabbing two wins in three games, the Golden Eagles are 8-2 heading into the spring break. When they return, Pee Dee will travel to Florence Christian on April 3, to Byrnes on April 4th and then will host a tournament on Saturday April 5th that is scheduled so begin at 9:30 AM.

Hugh Collins’ baseball team made a big impression on AA this week as they faced off with the #1 and #2 teams. The first of these match-ups put Pee Dee on the road versus Williamsburg.

Dennis Moore toed the rubber and threw a great game, holding the Golden Eagles within two runs deep into the sixth inning. The bats were coming around and getting to the Stallion hurler, but some late defensive miscues did in the blue and gold in a 9-3 loss.

And, the hangover from the late collapse carried over into the next game versus the rival Carolina Bobcats two days later. Jimmy Sanders took the hill in this one and struggled early as they fell behind 5-0 in the first. It was turning into another Pee Dee horror story against a familiar opponent.

But, finally, the pride of the Golden Eagles came through.

Moore came back on and pitched four innings of two-hit relief to keep Pee Dee in it. And, the bats began slowly chipping away. Finally, the Golden Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the sixth and walked off with an eye-opening 7-5 win. Moore and Storm Page led the charge with the bats, each going 2 for 3 with Moore ripping a home run.

“This feels pretty good,” an excited Collins said. “We just split with the top two teams in the state this week. Our kids and our school have to be proud.”

After spring break, the Golden Eagles will return to the field on April 1 for a rematch with Williamsburg at home for a 5 p.m. game, then will travel to Byrnes on April 4 for big conference showdown with the defending region champion Trojans.