Laurence Manning's Kosinski Region 3-AAAA Softball Player of Year

            Manning – Laurence Manning Academy pitcher/outfielder Laini Kosinski has been selected as the SCISA Region 3-AAAA Softball Player of the Year.

           Kosinski, a senior, was joined on the All-Region team by fellow senior Kayleigh Parmenter-Avins and juniors Ashley Rae Hodge, Lily Wellborn, Marlee Black and Lyza Prickelmyer,

           Kosinski finished with a 12-0 win-loss record in the circle for the Lady ‘Cats, who won the AAAA state title for the second straight year and finished with a 24-3 record. She handled all of the pitching chores in the state tournament and in the two games in the championship series against Wilson Hall following a late-season injury to Parmenter-Avins.

           She worked 86 1/3 innings and finished with a 2.68 earned run average. She had 82 strikeouts while walking just 10. At the plate, Kosinski had a .557 batting average, an on-base percentage of .620 and on-base/slugging percentage of 1.379. She had 10 doubles, three triples, 34 runs batted in and scored 20 runs.

           “She worked hard in preparing for this season,” head coach Buddy Truett said of Kosinski, who was on the varsity five seasons. “She came back to do her best, and I think she achieved that pretty good.”

           Parmenter-Avins was the left-handed presence in the circle to the right-handed Kosinski. She had a 2.63 ERA in 46 1/3 innings, finishing with an 8-1 record and 60 strikeouts. She batted .396 with four doubles, 19 RBI and 10 runs.

           “They were strong together,” Truett said of Kosinski and Parmenter-Avins, who did get to bat in the final game against Wilson Hall. “It was tit for tat for them. Kayleigh was pitching well. She was doing her job “

           Prickelmyer batted .548 and had and OBS of 1.554, tops on the team. She had 10 doubles, six triples, four homers, 37 RBI and 45 runs.

           “She’s going to be the vocal leader. She’s a gamer,” Truett said. “She’ll do whatever it takes to win, that’s for sure. She’s a great defensive player.”

Hodge batted .434 with 12 doubles, three triples, three HRs, 37 RBI and 40 runs.

“She’s all-around athlete,” Truett said. “Rae is tremendous in the field and at the plate. She can hit the ball, and I’m looking forward to her senior year.”

           Black batted .482 with five doubles, five triples, 23 RBI and 35 runs.

           “This was probably her best year on varsity,” Truett said. “She had an amazing year. Her game picked up.”

Wellborn had a .299 average with seven doubles, a triple, 15 RBI and 20 runs.

“I moved her over to second base to start the season,” Truett said. “She came to me and said, “If you can put me back at third you can put somebody else at second. She held it down pretty daggum good.”

BJ BALLS REGION 3-AAAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Laurence Manning first baseman BJ Balls was selected as the Region 3-AAAA Baseball Player of the Year.

The left-handed swinging Balls, who has signed to play collegiately with Florence-Darlington Technical College, had 34 hits while batting .493. He had eight doubles, one triple, 17 RBI and 30 runs.

The other Swampcats to join Balls on the All-Region team were Brentston Rembert and Peyton Price. Rembert batted .368 with 24 RBI and 20 RBI. He had an on-base/slugging percentage of 1.037. Price had a 7-0 record and one save in 40 innings pitched. He had a 1.05 earned run average while striking out 50 and walking just 12.

Laurence Manning finished the year with a 17-4 record, going undefeated in winning the region title. The season didn’t end the way the Swampcats had hoped though as they dropped their final regular-season game and went 0-2 in the state playoffs.

Laurence Manning head coach Barry Hatfield said it was a good season but one in which his team walked a fine line.

“Going into the season we knew we had very good starting pitchers and a deep bullpen,” Hatfield said. The second week of the season we lost our No. 1 pitcher (Drew Ferriell) and then the first third of the region schedule we lost another starter (Brayden Barnhill). We then lost (Price) in the first game of the playoffs.

“the years we won state titles we caught some lucky breaks and we stayed healthy. To win a championship you have to catch some breaks. We played a lot of close games, but we were still 17-1 going into spring break.”

Hatfield said the fact Laurence Manning’s two playoff losses were to region foes Hilton Head Christian Academy, which eventually won the state title, and Trinity Collegiate didn’t help matters. The Swampcats won a pair of 1-run games over Hilton Head Christian and had a 1-run win over Trinity.

“It was more or less a conference tournament in our side of the bracket,” Hatfield said. “We were playing teams that were very familiar with us to make matters worse.”

Price, Rembert, Ferriell and Balls were four of nine seniors on the roster. The others were Rory Carter, Cole Hawthorne, Grayson Thornton and Daniel Geddings.

LMA FOOTBALL IN SUMMER CONDITIONING

           Laurence Manning didn’t have a spring football practice under first-year head coach Jimmy Noonan. However, the Swampcats have kicked into high gear for summer strength and conditioning in preparation for the season opener against John Paul II on August 22 on LMA’s Billy Chitwood Field.

           “There has been a solid and consistent effort in the weight room,” said Noonan, the veteran head coach. “As we get our staff put together, we are looking forward to seeing our capabilities out on the field.”

           Noonan was hired to replace interim head coach Patrick Anderson.

           LMA BOYS GOLF FINISHES FIFTH IN STATE

           The Laurence Manning boys golf team finished in a tie for fifth in the SCISA AAAA state tournament.

           The Swampcats and Heathwood Hall both finished with a 36-hole score of 619. Laurence Manning shot 309 and 310 in the two rounds while the Highlanders shot 322 and 297.

           Leading the way for the Swampcats was Jenkins Andrews at 152, shooting 76 in both rounds. Robbie Robertson had a score of 153 (81-72), Walker Cribb 155 (76-79) and Sam Scoggins 159 (76-83).

           WELLBORN FINISHES THIRD IN JAVELIN

           Lily Wellborn finished third in the javelin in the girls portion of the SCISA Division I track and field state meet on May 5.

           Wellborn’s third-place toss was 34.87 meters.