By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
It was a given that this would be a rebuilding year for Beaufort High’s softball team, whose ration of Rasts in the dugout is down by half with former two-way star Kylie Rast now pitching at North Greenville.
The one who is still around, longtime coach Scott Rast, will be the first to tell you his daughter was the more valuable family member to the team.
But the young Eagles are using the next-woman-up mentality instilled by Scott and exemplified by Kylie through her years dominating in the circle and doing damage at the plate while her dad developed a supporting cast around her.
The next generation is leading now, and while the Eagles aren’t quite on the same competitive level they have been the last few years, they’re sitting third in the Region 6-4A standings behind powerful squads from May River and Colleton County and poised to make some noise in the playoffs.
Senior Adalyn Johnson has emerged from her role as Kylie Rast’s understudy to take over as the ace of the staff and one of the most reliable bats in the lineup along with power-hitting junior catcher Caylin Adkins.
The Eagles (7-8, 4-3) host Colleton County on April 23 hoping to avenge a 9-5 road loss on April 3, and then they finish the region slate with trips to Bluffton and Hilton Head — teams they beat by a combined 32-3 score in the first meetings.
Dolphins stuck in middle of pack
The Region 6-3A standings are a case of haves and have nots, and the Battery Creek Dolphins are stuck squarely in the middle.
The Dolphins (4-8, 2-4) haven’t had a region game go past the fourth inning thus far, with both of their wins and all four losses ending early via the mercy rule. The good news is there are only two games left on the schedule, and they should be equally lopsided and fall into the win column, assuring Battery Creek of the No. 3 playoff seed and a more favorable first-round matchup.
