Green Wave captures state softball championship

Roger Lee • May 24, 2024

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Summerville defeated Lexington 10-0 May 23 to repeat as the Class 5A Softball State Champion.

By Roger Lee

Summerville - Summerville defeated Lexington in five innings May 23 to clinch the 2024 Class 5A Softball State Championship.

The Green Wave, which defeated Byrnes in the finals last season to capture its first ever state championship, rolled to a 10-0 victory over Lexington in the second game of this year’s finals to repeat. Summerville wraps up its season with an unflawed 30-0 record.

“I mean the pressure has been right there,” Summerville coach Heather Tucker said. “The goal was to win a state championship but hey going undefeated is awesome too. It’s basically icing on the cake so I’m so proud of these kids and our entire coaching staff that helped them get where they are. We dialed in early on this season. Our motto was Stay Humble and Stay Hungry and these guys stayed focus the entire season and played the game within the game; they did the little things like winning each inning.”

Lexington finished the season at 20-10 after going 24-4 in 2023.

“We faced a lot of adversity throughout the season,” Lexington coach Laurie Epps said. “Early on we lost some games that we aren’t used to losing, but we found a way and we started playing a lot better. Things just started clicking and these girls really started believing and found out what it really means to be a team. Every night we had someone different step up. Our seniors did a great job and really all these girls chipped in. I couldn’t be more proud of where we are now considering where we started.”

Summerville junior Ansley Bennett had the start in the circle and only surrendered two hits and three walks while striking out nine batters in four innings. After Summerville went up by 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Hope Chase relieved her and only allowed one hit and no walks while striking out two batters in the final inning.

Sophomore Katie Guilliam led off the bottom of the first inning with a hard-hit line drive that the Lexington shortstop leaped up to get a glove on but she wasn’t able to make the catch. Then Bennett stepped to the plate and sent a pitch over the fence for a two-run home run.

“This was amazing,” Bennett said after the game. “We went out with a bang in the first inning and then we kept adding on runs. Everyone did their part.”

Summerville busted the game open in the bottom of the second, scoring five runs on three hits and five bases-loaded walks. Chase and Caroline Waring opened the turn at bat with singles and Deryn Malden walked to load the bases. Runners were then sent across the plate on a single by Jayden Bennett and walks to Alex Siwik, Guilliam, Melanie Edwards and Abby Driscoll for a 7-0 Summerville lead.

Malden opened the bottom of the third with a single and Siwik reached on a walk. They moved across on a double steal and then a throwing error allowed Malden to score another run.

Jayden Bennett singled in the fourth and scored on a two-run home run by Chase for the 10-0 score.

With the 10-run rule in effect, a ground out and Chase’s two strikeouts were all Summerville needed in the top of the fifth to end the game.

Chase went 2 for 3 at the plate with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Jayden Bennett was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Waring was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Guilliam and Malden both reached base three times.

Lexington’s Sam Craig and Maggie Hinz had the hits off Bennett. Robyn Craig had the hit off Chase.

Summerville stranded seven runners throughout the game while Lexington stranded six runners. Lexington used four different pitchers.

Both teams only have four seniors so they stand to return the majority of their players next season.

“Hats off to Summerville,” Epps said. “They had an incredible run this season and what Coach Tucker has done here is pretty awesome.”

Summerville defeated Lexington 4-0 on the Wildcats’ home field May 20 during the first game of the series. Ansley Bennett pitched a no-hitter.

Guilliam had a leadoff homerun in the first inning to put the Green Wave on the board. She had a triple in third and scored on a fielder’s choice for a two-run Summerville lead. In the fifth, Edwards had a two-run home run for the 4-0 margin.

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