CHESNEE, SC - On Monday evening the Chesnee softball team celebrated their thirtieth season and on Wednesday they celebrated one of the best pitching performances in school history from pitcher Maddie Handy, as she helped the Eagles pull out a 7-0 win over Blacksburg to open region play.
"I felt really good," said Handy. "I got in a groove, and everything was just working for me." "She is fun to watch when she gets to dealing like that," said Chesnee head coach Tripp Fogle. "She got comfortable and confident. Coach Westbrooks calls the pitches, and they were in rhythm together. I'm just very proud of her tonight." Handy struck out an incredible 18 batters out of a possible 21 outs needed to win the game as she only allowed 3 hits, that were all on soft contact. She started the game by striking out fifteen of the first sixteen batters she faced. The defense behind her was proud of her even if it meant less opportunities for them in the field. "When you're in the field you want to be involved in the action, but it's great to see your pitcher handle everything," said Chesnee centerfielder Skylar Barrett. "That tells you that you are in for a great season." The other three outs came on a beautiful throw by Bixley Koon that caught a runner trying to steal, a pop up caught by Handy, and an unassisted groundout by Emily Pruett at first base. Pruett got the Eagles rolling offensively in the top of the second inning with a leadoff single as Koon followed with a with a double to put runners at second and third base. Skylar Barrett drove both of them in with a two RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Eagles an early 3-0 lead. "It really gave us the momentum and it got us going offensively," said Barrett about the big inning. The Eagles offense once again get rolling in the bottom of the fifth inning as Mikayla Cannon hit a leadoff single before Jada Sellars and Emily Pruett each drove in runs with RBI singles. The big blow of the inning came off the bat of Handy as she helped her own cause with a two RBI double. "It feels really good when the offense has your back," said Handy. "We started out a little slow, but the big second inning really got us going." Sellars, Barrett, Pruett and Koon each had a pair of hits for the Eagles. Koon finished with two doubles, a run scored, and a stolen base along with a beautiful throw to catch a runner stealing while Barrett finished with a double and single with two RBIs and a run scored. The win gives the Eagles a 1-0 start in region play as they try for their third consecutive region title. "It's great to start out with a win," said Fogle. "Region games are important because they are the only ones that factor in the seeding for the playoffs. We wear pinstripes for home region games, and I told them after the game that any win when we are wearing pinstripes is a big win." The Eagles will face the defending 3A state champions Broome on the road on Thursday with a 7:30 PM scheduled first pitch. Comments are closed.
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