Dolphins take opener of state championship series
Battery Creek is one win away from claiming the school’s first softball state title after a 2-1 win at Union County in the opening game of the Class 3A state championship series Monday.
At press time, the Dolphins (21-8-1) were set to try to clinch the state title when they hosted the second game of the series Wednesday. If the series goes to a third game, it will be played Friday with the host team determined by a coin flip.
Mackenzie Young went 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI for the Dolphins, who were able to scratch across single runs in the fourth and fifth innings and win the pitchers’ duel.
Alexis Ortiz continued her outstanding postseason, striking out eight and limiting Union County to one run and three hits.
Battery Creek broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, when Young delivered a two-out RBI single to plate Bailey Emmert. The Dolphins tagged on a run in the fifth, when Emily Crosby and Ortiz drew walks, then combined on a double-steal with Crosby swiping home.
The Yellowjackets broke through for a run in the bottom of the fifth and had the tying run at first with one out before Ortiz got out of the jam. Ortiz worked around a leadoff walk in the sixth and retired the side in order in the seventh to seal the win.
The Dolphins advanced to the championship series with a 7-1 win over visiting Hanahan on Friday.
Kelsey Hill went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, and four RBIs, and Ortiz had another strong night in the circle for the Dolphins. Ortiz allowed one run and two hits in a complete game, striking out eight.
Hill singled and came around to score on Journeigh Doray’s sacrifice fly to give the Dolphins a 1-0 lead in the first. Battery Creek tacked on two more runs in the second when Hill doubled home Margaret Schubert and Young for a 3-0 advantage.
The Hawks got to Ortiz for a run in the fourth, but she was able to get out of the jam, and the Dolphins added some insurance in the fourth when Hill and Emily Crosby hit back-to-back homers — Hill’s a two-run shot — for a 6-1 lead. Ortiz added a sacrifice fly to score Olivia Gee in the sixth.
The Battery Creek Lady Dolphins defeated the Hanahan Hawks to become the Lower State softball champions on Friday, May 10. Here, Battery Creek’s catcher McKenzie Young hustles to catch a foul ball but runs out of room colliding with the backstop during the Dolphin’s 7-1 win over the Hawks. Photo by Bob Sofaly
