East Clarendon softball, baseball teams battling for region titles
Both teams 9-1 heading into final region series of the year
East Clarendon softball, baseball titles after region titles
By Dennis Brunson
hssr.com Associate Editor
Turbeville – East Clarendon High School was bumped up to the AA classification after realignment prior to this school year. The Wolverine softball team has handled the transition pretty well.
EC was 14-6 through its first 20 games but more importantly 9-1 in Region 7.
“Last year, we were in Class A and won our region,” said East Clarendon head coach Jason Newsome. “Our final record was 12-9 against a very challenging schedule. We lost five games by one run. This year we also play a very challenging schedule.”
The Wolverines split a pair of games with Atlantic Collegiate Academy on April 14-15. After returning from spring break, they are scheduled to meet up with defending AA lower state champion Marion on April 29 and May 2.
One reason East Clarendon has transitioned well is because of the return of senior pitcher Laiklyn Gaskins. She was named to the Class A All-State team. She was selected as the Region Offensive Player of the Year, leading EC in hitting with a .382 batting average. She had a team high 21 hits to go with three doubles, 15 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases. In the circle, Gaskins threw 75 2/3 innings and posted an 8-5 win-loss record. She had a 2.41 earned run average and 76 strikeouts.
Gaskins is just one of two returning senior starters, the other one being senior middle infielder Anna Grace Knowlton. The Wolverines do return three All-Region underclassmen in sophomore catcher Peyton Hanniford, freshman shortstop Bailey Hicks and junior outfielder Addison Fleming.
Hanniford was selected as the Region Defensive Player of the Year. She finished with a .239 batting average, two doubles, a triple and five RBI. Hicks batted .321 with a team high in triples with three and stolen bases with 18. She also had four doubles and 14 RBI. Fleming
batted .222.
East Clarendon had to replace four senior starters from last year, three of whom were All-Region picks. However, that doesn’t mean the Wolverines are playing a lot of girls who lacked varsity experience coming into the season.
“Everybody on the roster was also on our playoff roster last year,” Newsome said. “Some of them bounced back and forth from varsity to JV (junior varsity) during the regular season, but they all participated during the playoffs.”
Two of those are sophomore Layke Jeffords and eighth-grader Braelyn Locklear, who have been seeing time in the circle along with Gaskins. Other members of the team are sophomore centerfielder Karleigh Miller, freshman first baseman Zoey Culick, junior outfielder Catherine Fleming, junior outfielder Megan Brown, sophomore outfielder Chloe Goff and sophomore middle infielder Caylen McKenzie.
EC BASEBALL BATTLING FOR REGION TITLE
The East Clarendon baseball team split its games with with Atlantic Collegiate, leaving both teams 9-1 in region play. The Wolverines are 16-6 overall and close out region play with games against Marion on April 29 and May 2. ACA closes out region play against Kingstree.
Hunter Mixon wa leading the offense with a .450 average and an on=base percentage of .520 prior to the ACA series. He had three doubles, a triple, two home runs, 13 runs scored and six RBI.
Blease Hardy was batting .389 with nine RBI, while Dawson Beard was batting 378 with a team high 18 runs, seven RBI, five doubles, two triples and a homer. Barnes McConnell was batting .343 with nine RBI, Foster Matthews was batting .275 with a team high 10 RBI, Cooper Goff was hitting .300, and Whit Nesbitt was hitting .222 with nine runs and seven RBI.
Beard was leading in stolen bases with 12 while Mixon had 10, Nesbitt nine, Hardy and Matthews seven apiece and Takoda Cornelius six.
Matthews and Hardy were having strong seasons on the mound. Matthews is 5-1 with a 1.04 ERA in 27 innings, while Hardy is 3-1 with a 1.79 ERA in 24 2/3 innings.
McConnell is 2-0 with a 0.58 ERA in 12 innings.
