Barnwell Softball Starting Three talented 7th Graders From Ponytails World Championship Team From Last Summer
Barnwell Softball Starting Three talented 7th Graders From Ponytails World Championship Team From Last Summer
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Barnwell-Last summer an 11–12-year-old Ponytails softball rec team, from Barnwell County, earned their way to the World Series finals, held in Louisiana, and the team ended up winning a national Championship.
Three members of that team are now 7th grade starters on the Barnwell Warhorse softball team head coached by Michael Beasley, who has nearly 30 years of high school softball coaching experience. “Even in my 22- plus years at Blackville-Hilda I would occasionally have a 7th grader on the varsity but none of them ever started,” said Coach Beasley. “For us to have three 7th graders starting, and I mean they are also major contributors, is really amazing I will tell you that.”
The top hitter on the entire team is 7th grade shortstop/pitcher/catcher Kinsey Terrapin who is batting .577 as the team went into Spring break on April, 14. Shalayah Badger is a 7th grader who is a shortstop/pitcher/catcher and she is batting .500. The other 7th grade starter is 3rd baseman Genesis Walker who is batting .417 .
“All three of these players have been playing softball for a long time and it is a first- time situation for me to have three 7th grade starters on a varsity team,” said Coach Beasley. “Kinsley is a natural born hitter and she has had a hot bat all season. Genesis is versatile and she likes playing several positions, but we use her mainly at 3rd base. Shalayah’s speed and strength for a 7th grader is quite impressive and she is the fastest player we have on the team.”
Barnwell has entered Spring break (13-3, 10-0) and they won the region once again and they have won 29 straight region games in a row going back to the 2022 season. “We feel fortunate to have got all our region games out of the way before Spring break,” said Coach Beasley. “We scheduled a lot more games this season so we have an opportunity to face good pitching by playing 8 non-region games after the break.
“We will be playing quality teams like Saluda, Colleton County, Branchville, and Silver Bluff after our Spring break, and we will be playing all 8 games over a two- week period,” said Coach Beasley. “What is also nice about the way we have set things up is that we have five days to prepare for our first home playoff game after we conclude our regular season.”
The rudder of the team is senior pitcher Jaidyn Devore who has signed a softball scholarship with Howard University. In her senior season, Devore is currently 6-3 with 92 K’s in 47 innings in the circle with a sterling 0.74 ERA. At the plate she is batting .265 with 13 RBI’s and two home runs.
Over her long career in the Barnwell softball program, Devore has 538 career K’s, has pitched 14 no-hitters, and four perfect games in 280 innings in the circle. Her career record is 38-15.
“Jaidyn has been a hard worker and very focused player over her entire career at Barnwell,” said Coach Beasley. “She’s battle tested and playing very well in her senior season. “
Sophomore Laney Grubbs is an outfielder number two pitcher for the Warhorses. She went into Spring break batting .436 with 11 RBI’s. In the circle, Grubbs is 3-0 with 21 K’s in 12 innings of work with an ERA of 2.92.
“I consider Laney a next level prospect and she is one of our team leaders despite being just a sophomore,” said Coach Beasley. “Everything she does is for the team.”
Starting sophomore second baseman, Molly Wilson has a nick name she certainly likes. “We call her “Hitting Machine”,” said Coach Beasley. “She rarely strikes out and she always puts the ball in play.”
Senior starting third baseman Brooklyn Gordon is one of three seniors on the team. She is an all-region returner who is currently batting .389 with 10 RBI’s.
Sophomore Kendall O’Berry starts in center field and she is currently batting .375 with 11 RBI’s and she leads the team with three doubles. “She is a gold glove type center fielder,” said Coach Beasley.
Junior Brianna Croft has been the starting catcher the past two seasons and she comes into the break hitting .278 with 8 RBI’s. “Brianna is probably our best bunter and she makes good contact with the ball.” said Coach Beasley.
Abigail Corley is a three starter in right field and she in also a returning all-region player from last season. She is currently batting .241 with 7 RBI’s.
Two key reserves who round out the 13-player roster are junior Shaelyn Badger who plays first and third base along with junior Layla Bishop who is an outfielder.
“With our young players maturing so quickly this season, and as well as we have been hitting the ball lately, we are certainly hoping for a deep play-off run,” said Coach Beasley. “We have averaged 13 hits a game over our last games.
“Our pitching is solid and deep also,” said Coach Beasley. “We hope playing 8 non-region games over the final two weeks of the season will expose us to some good pitching and get us ready for the playoffs.”
Rick Arnold is an assistant coach for the team.
