INMAN, S.C. – On Thursday evening, three superb seniors – Autumn Fisher, Reagan Garrett, and Kayla Hardin – were given their crowns and recognized for their time in the Chapman Panther softball program prior to a Region 3-3A contest against the Travelers Rest Devildogs.
“They are three of the most positive kids that I’ve ever met,” Chapman head coach Casey Green exclaimed about the trio. “They are great teammates and are just fun to be around. I told them that this was a celebration and was not meant to be sad. We wanted to celebrate them and the impact they have had.” And celebrate they did, as an all-around effort propelled the Panthers to a 7-0 shutout victory over the Devildogs. Both starting pitchers – Garrett and Travelers Rest’s Carly Anderson – each retired six of the first seven batters over the first two frames of the game. However, it was the third turn at bat that proved to be the charm for the Panthers. Chapman’s Hailey Coley led off the third inning with a bunt single that split two defenders and advanced to second on a Krislyn Wilder sacrifice bunt. Autumn Fisher smashed a scorching liner to left field, plating Coley for a one run Panther lead. “It’s a great feeling,” said Fisher about the win. “It gives us a better chance to finish higher in the region and was a better overall performance for us as a team. It has been a really great experience and is very inclusive for everybody. I think the program suits everybody and it is not just about one person. It has given me many learning opportunities and made me grow as a person.” Rylan Ivey reached on a Devildog error that also allowed Fisher to score from second, while Reagan Garrett smoked a single to left that plated Ivey. Lael Raines (courtesy runner for Garrett) swiped second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Sophie Whitley RBI groundout that created a 4-0 Chapman lead after three innings. Travelers Rest notched a leadoff single in their half of the fourth, only to see Garrett and the Panther defense retire the next six Devildogs in succession over the next two innings. Ivey slashed an opposite-field single to left in the Panthers’ fourth, which drove in Kenslie Edwards and Coley for a six-run advantage. “This has been the best three years of school ball that I’ve ever had," Garrett remarked. “There are so many memories like winning region, district, home runs, and walking off games. Getting the shutout was a very happy moment. I am glad that all of us got to play, that we made good, hard outs, and that we all hit the ball.” The Devildogs saw two of their first three batters reach base safely in the sixth, but the Panthers tallied two lineouts and a groundout to first base, thwarting the threat. Coley tagged up from third and scored on a Fisher sacrifice fly to center in the bottom of the frame, which provided the final margin. “We challenged them to be focused at the plate,” said Green. “Last time we played (Travelers Rest), we left 17 or 18 runners on base. When somebody is out there, you’ve got to get them around and get them in. It may not be to hit a ball out of the park, but it may be hitting a grounder to the right side of the field so we can move runners. It’s about being focused at the plate, knowing what your job is, and that we need to get those base runners in.” Fisher, Garrett, and Whitley each went 1-for-3 at the plate and combined for four runs batted in, while Edwards also had a 1-for-3 night with a stolen base. Ivey was 1-for-4 with a run scored, two stolen bases, and two RBI, while Coley was 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and three runs scored. In the circle, Garrett tossed a complete game and scattered five hits, while also striking out five batters. Chapman (13-5, 5-2) will host Woodruff in a non-region contest on Monday, April 22nd, slated for a 6 PM start. Thursday’s Scoreboard Girls Soccer – Chapman 3, Travelers Rest 0 · Goals: Elliot Miller (2), Avery Holden · Next match: at Broome, 7 PM on April 22nd o A CHP win secures a share of Region 3-3A crown & forces a tiebreaker to determine the top seed in region. Boys Golf – Chapman finished 5th at Ponderosa Shootout · Team score of 328 · Lowest scores for the Panthers o Will McCraw – 73 § Second-lowest individual round for tournament § Named to All-Tournament Team o Wesley Shipman – 76 Baseball – Travelers Rest 3, Chapman 2 · Next game: at Chesnee, 7:30 PM on April 23rd Boys Soccer – Travelers Rest 2, Chapman 1 · Next match: home vs Broome, 7 PM on April 23rd Comments are closed.
|
Our SponsorsArchives
October 2023
Categories |