Get in touch
555-555-5555
mymail@mailservice.com

Barnwell Has Three Player Earn CAWS Softball AA All-State Honors

Billy Baker • Jun 01, 2023

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Barnwell - The Barnwell (14-4) softball team had high hopes of a deep play-off run after winning the region title in head coach Mike Beasley’s return to coaching, after he had retired a few years ago after a long tenure at Blackville-Hilda.


Due to Spring break, and some bad luck with non-region rain-out games, the Lady Warhorses literally did not play in a live game for three weeks prior to the playoffs starting in early May. “In the future we will load our schedule on the back end, not the front-end,” said Coach Beasley. “Not facing live pitching for so long was a major issue. We will not make this mistake with our schedule again.”


 In the first game of the AA playoffs, Barnwell lost to Cheraw 6-1. Then against Andrews a few days later they lost to Andrews 8-2 to conclude what had been a promising season. Guess what happened during both games? IT RAINED DURING BOTH GAMES!


 The team did receive some great news when CAWS announced their Softball Coaches Association all-state teams by classifications in early May. “We are really excited that our sophomore pitcher Jaidyn Devore, senior first baseman Cailyn Morris, and our senior center fielder McKayla Creech were named to the CAWS all-state team,” said Coach Beasley. “We are happy for all three of them and they have meant a lot to our program.”


Devore is just a sophomore. She was named the Region Player of the Year this season. She compiled a 9-4 record in the circle with 135 strike-outs in 65 innings pitched. She batted .429 with 17 RBI’s at the plate.


 Creech was a gold glove center fielder during his career at Barnwell. She batted .423 with 11 stolen bases. Morris batted .443 with 15 RBI’s and seven doubles. Creech has signed to play softball at USC Salkehatchie.


The leading hitter on the team was 8th grader Laney Grubbs who hit .583 with seven RBI’s. She also had an incredible .722 on base percentage. Junior catcher Bre’anna Buckmon was named all-region. Buckmon batted .435 with 15 RBI’s, including seven doubles. Sophomore third baseman Brooklyn Gordon was also named all-region while finishing with a .429 average. Including 11 RBI’s and a .512 on-base-percentage.


  Senior Karris Bolen, one of the team co-captains, received the “Carol Masengale Award” for her leadership and sportsmanship she displayed over a four- year varsity career. Bolen, also named all-region, had 14 RBI’s and was known as the team’s “bunt specialist.” Another player in the program with a bright future is 8th grade starting shortstop Kendall O’Berry who played excellent on defense and she had a .500 on-base-percentage.


The HSSR has selected Devore, Creech, Morris and Bolen to their 2023 HSSR-SCHSL AA all-state softball team. Grubbs and Gordon have been selected to the 2023 HSSR statewide all-rookie softball team.


“I am encouraging my players to stay active in softball this summer by getting involved in local summer leagues, or travel ball,” said Coach Beasley. “We have a very good team coming back next season. We will miss the three seniors graduating for sure. They were all a huge part of our success this season.


Coach Beasley concluded the 2023 season with a 220-120 career record.


Pitching: 

Jaidyn Devore - Barnwell - 9-4 Record - 65 IP - 135 K's - ERA: 1.50 

 

Barnwell Hitting: 

Laney Grubbs - .583 

Bre'anna Buckmon - .435  - 11 RBI - 23 runs scored 

Jaidyn Devore - .429 - 17 RBI's - 22 runs scored 

Brooklyn Gordan - .429 - 11 RBI 

MaKaylas Creech - .423 - 21 runs scored 

Cailyn Morris - .423 - 15 RBI's 

Karrie Bolen - 14 RBI's - 21 runs scored 

 

Stolen Bases 

McKayla Creech - 11 




By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 26 Mar, 2024
Senior right-hander strikes out 12 in 2-hit shutout
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 25 Mar, 2024
Tigers use 2023 district tournament run as motivation
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 25 Mar, 2024
Tigers are 6-5 overall and 3-1 in region play
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 24 Mar, 2024
Blazers have big varsity roster, junior varsity team in place
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 23 Mar, 2024
Lady 'Cats have been state runners-up the past two years
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 23 Mar, 2024
Swampcats riding pitching and defense to success
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 22 Mar, 2024
Rankin won 2 state titles, played in four other championship games in second stay at Lee
By Billy Baker 21 Mar, 2024
Camden Coin Club hosting show at City Arena by Zemp Field 
By Billy Baker 20 Mar, 2024
By Billy G. Baker Publisher Barnwell — One year later, the Barnwell (6-1) softball team avenged a 4-0 loss to the Aiken Green Hornets during last season, with an 18-0 three -inning mercy ruling win at home on March, 19. After the win, Barnwell head coach Mike Beasley shared his thoughts with the HSSR, “We didn’t know what to expect from Aiken, other than they had beat us last year, but they did have some graduation losses, and their top pitcher is currently out with an injury,” said Coach Beasley (226-121) now in his 25 th season as a head varsity softball coach. “I am pleased with our start for this season, and we hope to keep improving. Our number one goal to finish strong and win a region title and make a deep run in the play-offs.” Against Aiken, junior power pitcher Jaidyn Devore had all of her pitches working well. In three innings of work she tossed a no-hitter while striking out 7 of the 10 batters she faced in the game. At the plate she was 2-for-2 with two RBI’s and one double. Other top hitters against Aiken included junior third baseman Brooklyn Gordan who had three hits and two doubles in the game along with senior catcher Bre’anna Buckmon who went 2-for-3 with three RBI’s including a double. Five other players each had one hit in the game. They included sophomore right fielder Abigial Corley , freshman center-fielder Kendall O’Berry , senior left-fielder Kahmiyah Williams , sophomore outfielder Layla Bishop , and junior utility infielder/pitcher Tiera Arnold . Freshman second baseman Laney Grubbs scored two runs with one RBI against Aiken and she is the team’s number two pitcher. Freshman shortstop Kaylen Mayes scored two runs in the win. Jessica Williamson scored one run in the game. Senior outfielder Jamicka Jenkins is also a contributor to the team along with sophomore outfielder Bri Croft , who scored one run and freshman Molly Wilson who can catch and play second base. “It all starts in the circle and the catching spot,” said Coach Beasley. “If you are strong at those two positions, and can hit the ball a little bit, and we had 12 hits tonight, with an average of 9 or 10 hits per game thus far this season, along with averaging 10 runs then you should win most of your games with these kinds of numbers. “Our team assessment is good pitching from our top three pitchers along with good hitting right now,” said Coach Beasley. “Davore currently has five college offers and she was the Region Player of the Year as a sophomore. Her fastball has been clocked as high as 68 mph which is outstanding. “ Tiera Arnold is our second pitcher and she started at first base tonight,” said Coach Beasley. “Our third pitcher is freshman Laney Grubbs who started at second tonight. All three of our pitchers have no-hitters so far this season and they have each performed well. We are trying to bring all our pitchers along this season but when you have a Jaidyn Devore throwing in the 60’s it is a big adjustment for opposing batters to adjust to our other two pitchers when we bring them having to adjust 68 to a 55 miles per hour pitching.” Buckmon is a four- year starter behind the plate with a strong delivery to second. Buckmon and Devore comprise one of the strongest batteries in the SCHSL AA softball ranks in South Carolina. Coming out of the Aiken game, 8 players are batting .300 or better for Barnwell. Devore is at the top of the hitting index at .632 including a team leading 9 RBI’s along with three doubles and one triple. Corley is at .455 with three RBI’s and one triple. Mayes is hitting .400 with one RBI and one double. Arnold is hitting .357 with 5 RBI’s, and 2 doubles. Buckmon is at .348 with seven RBI’s, including a double and one triple. Williams is hitting .333 with four RBI’s followed by Gordan (.312), Croft (.300) and O’Berry is at .273. In the circle, Devore is 4-1 with an incredible 60 K’s in 31 innings of work with a 0.45 ERA. Davore has great command of both her screw ball and curve ball. Grubbs and Arnold are both 1-0 with 7 K’s each over three innings of work and both have a 0.00 ERA. So far this season Barnwell has win over Williston-Elko (11-3), beat Ridgeland-Hardeeville twice (16-0, 10-0), beat Branchville (5-4), and Silver Bluff (2-0). The team’s only loss was to Colleton County 8-6. Barnwell will travel to Wagener-Salley on March, 20 before hosting Bamberg-Ehrhardt on March, 22. After hosting Edisto on March 25, and W-S on March, 26 the team will close out the month with an away game at Edisto March, 27. “Our top goal is to win the region again this year and advance in the playoffs to win the district and that will give us an opportunity to play for the lower state,” said Coach Beasley. “This team last won a lower state title in 2011. We were 14-2 last season and we had a lot of rain-outs at the end of the season that hurt us going into the playoffs. This season we are playing 25 games and we have several strong teams scheduled to play just before we enter the playoffs at the end of the regular season. We have already had two-rainouts this season.” Aiken High is head coached by Coven Smith , now in his second season as the head coach. He told the HSSR after the game, “We graduated five players off of last year’s team and we have been hurt by some injuries this season also,” said Coach Smith. “We are building culture in our program and we are on the right path. “Our two seniors on the team are senior shortstop Elaina Parrott and Emily Gossett and Emily is out with a shoulder injury right now,” said Coach Smith. “We are getting better every single day and we are looking forward to the future.” Against Barnwell Kate Weimer started in center while Madsion Zeigler was behind the plate. Maddie Hopkins held down third base while Parrott was at short. Summer Tucker started at second while Lyndin George started at first. The outfield corner spots were held down by Lizzie Barry in right while Audrey Hembree was in left. The starting pitcher was Parker Campbell .
By Dennis Brunson hssr.com Associate Editor 20 Mar, 2024
Stallions are 10-0, having outscored opponents 117-25
More Posts
Share by: