East Clarendon softball, baseball teams playing difficult non-region schedules
Wolverines to face Atlantic Collegiate April 21, April 24 for region title in both sports
Turbeville – To say the East Clarendon High School softball team has played a brutal non-region schedule might be the slightest bit of an understatement.
The defending AA state champion has taken on undefeated AAAAA power West Florence and its dominating pitcher Annie Ruth Eliason, AAAAA Berkeley, defending SCISA AAAA state champion Laurence Manning Academy, defending SCISA AAA champion Pee Dee Academy and perennial Class A powers Hannah-Pamplico and Latta.
That, however, is the way Wolverines head coach Jason Newsome likes it.
“Those teams all have strong pitching, which is why we play them,” said Newsome, whose team was 14-6 on the season and 7-0 in Region 7 coming out of spring break. “We've been a little inconsistent so far, playing very well at times and poorly at other times. We were playing better heading into spring break. Hopefully that gives us something to build on moving forward.
“The inconsistency resulted from a list of nagging injuries that we hope will heal up as the season winds down and the quality of our opponents. When we haven't played well, as good teams do, they've taken advantage of our mistakes. We lost a game or two earlier in the season that we'd like to have back; but we believe the quality of our schedule will ultimately have us well prepared for the playoffs.”
East Clarendon returns eight starters from last season. The one that was lost though was pitcher Laiklyn Gaskins.
Rylee Atkinson has been the primary pitcher this season, even though Layke Jeffords and Braelynn Locklear have seen their fair share of time in the circle.
The Wolverines have a pretty steady lineup and batting order. Bailey Hicks is the shortstop and bats leadoff followed by centerfielder Karleigh Miller in the 2 hole and first baseman Zoey Culick at No. 3. Catcher Payton Hanniford is the cleanup hitter with Jeffords, who plays third base, batting fifth and leftfielder Addison Fleming hitting sixth. The order is rounded out by designated player Megan Brown hitting seventh, second baseman Caylen McKenzie eighth and rightfielder Chloe Goff ninth.
East Clarendon was hitting .372 as a team with 69 stolen bases and an on-base/slugging percentage of .984. It had a team earned run average of 2.97.
Those numbers are comparable to where the Wolverines were at this point last season, according to Newsome. The caveat?
“That said, we've faced much stronger pitching and competition at this point this year than at this point last year,” he said.
EC BASEBALL UNDEFEATED IN REGION
The East Clarendon baseball tram is off to a 14-6 overall start and was 8-0 in region play. The Wolverines are set for a showdown with Atlantic Collegiate Academy for the region title. ACA is also unbeaten. The teams are scheduled to play in Conway on Tuesday, April 21, before playing in Turbeville on Friday, April 24..
The EC and ACA softball teams are also undefeated in the region and will face off on the same days.
East Clarendon was hitting .372 as a team with five starters at .400 or better. Junior Evan Lee had a team high .478 average and 22 runs scored with three doubles and three triples. Junior Braylon Hunt was hitting .462, senior Wes Springs was at .442 with a team high 16 runs batted in, junior Crosby Timmons was at .429 with 14 RBI, and senior Barnes McConnell was at .400.
Junior Colten Baker was hitting .333 and junior Cade Mooneyham was at .316.
Pitching-wise, sophomore Heath Jordan had a 4-0 win-loss record with a 1.48 ERA in a team high 23 2/3 innings. Sophomore Gavin White was 2-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 20 innings, and freshman Easton Donlon was 1-1 with a 1.53 ERA in 18 1/3 innings.
