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<h4>Dolphins take opener of state championship series</h4>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Alexis Ortiz continued her outstanding postseason, striking out eight and limiting Union County to one run and three hits.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>The Dolphins advanced to the championship series with a 7-1 win over visiting Hanahan on Friday.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>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.</p>
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<p>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.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>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.<br><br><em>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</em><br></p>
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