Thomas Sumter softball team has high expectations
Lady Generals return entire roster from last season's 11-8 squad
Dalzell – Thomas Sumter Academy fielded a varsity softball team last season for the first time
since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. The Lady Generals posted an 11-8 record while going 2-2 in
the SCISA AAA state tournament.
With no seniors on that squad, TSA head coach David Porter is excited about the season.
However, he knows it won’t be easy as it tries to go through the gauntlet that is Region 3-AAA.
“We have, in my opinion, the toughest region in AAA, if not all of SCISA,” Porter said. “With
the 2-time (defending AAA) state runner up in Orangeburg Prep along with AA multiple state champion
Clarendon Hall and Calhoun (Academy) moving up, there will be no easy games.”
“I do feel like we have a lot of room for improvement, especially defensively, that we have been
working on. This is a team that I think will get better as the season progresses.”
Porter is pretty comfortable with his batting order. The top four spots will remain the same. Junior
left-handed slapper Ryann Stokes will lead off with freshman Kason Carter, senior Anna Luzzi and
sophomore Lila Kate Stines filling the next three spots. The trio combined for 16 home runs last season.
The next five spots will be interchangeable depending on who is hitting well. Battling for spots in
the order are freshman Natalie Saphore, junior Hannah Geddings, sophomore Paisley Hill, freshman
Peyton Dew, sophomore Amy Spivey and junior Payton Sosbee.
Saphore has been the No. 1 pitcher early in the season to build depth, but Carter and Hill were the
top pitchers last year. Carter, who struck out 174 in 80 innings, will see more time as the season
progresses. Dew also will get some time in the circle.
Saphore will be at either first base or in left field when not pitching. Shines is the catcher with
Geddings and Hill seeing time at first as well. Dew will mainly be at second with Luzzi at shortstop and
Spivey at third. Freshman Ashlynn Singleton will see some time there as well while freshman Riley
Carnes will spell Luzzi at short.
Hill or Geddings will be in left. Sosbee is in center with Stokes in right. Junior Chloe Isaac and
freshman Eden Stokes will see time in the outfield.
ENGLISH GIRLS BASKETBALL ALL-REGION PICK; WILLIAMS BOYS PICK
Sophomore Malayia English was selected to the All-Region 1-AAA girls basketball team, while
junior Christian Williams was selected to the All-Region boys team.
English led the Lady Generals in scoring with a 20.1 per-game average. She also led in
rebounding at 6.3 and steals at 4.1. She averaged 1.1 assists
Thomas Sumter finished 9-9 on the season, losing to Greenwood Christian School 50-46 I the
first round of the AAA state tournament.
The TSA boys went 2-15 and didn’t make the playoffs.
