By Vernon Grimsley

Game 1: Dillon 20, Aynor 1

Dillon opened up the 2012 Dixie Ponytails state tournament with a win against Aynor. Dillon, the defending state champions, exploded for nine runs in the first inning. Eight of the first nine batters reached base.

Kaleigh Caulder led off with an error by the third baseman. Camryn Sawyer followed with a walk. Johnna Rogers reached based on an error and Tori Grimsley reached first base with a walk. Taylor Blackmon, Madison Owens, and A’Doshia Graves reached on more errors.

Courtney Bracey had Dillon’s first hit of the game. Kurstin Hopkins and Sha’Miya McLellan had back-to-back doubles.

In the second inning, Dillon scored six runs off two hits. Taylor Blackmon had a single and Madison Owens had a double. In the third inning, Dillon scored three runs off two hits, one by Blackmon and one by Caulder. In the last inning of play, Dillon scored two runs on two hits, one by Graves and one by Ashley Phillips.

Johnna Rogers had one hit and three runs batted in (rbi’s); Madison Owens had one hit and three rbi’s; Courtney Bracey had one hit and three rbi’s; A’Doshia Graves had one hit and two rbi’s; Taylor Blackmon had two hits and two rbi’s; Ashley Phillips had one hit and one rbi; Sha’Miya McLellan had two hits and one rbi; Kaleigh Caulder had one hit; Brittany Miller had one hit; and Kurstin Hopkins had one hit and one rbi.

Johnna Rogers got the win for Dillon. She pitched one inning and gave up one run on two hits and walked two. Kurstin Hopkins pitched one inning, giving up no hits or runs; Brittany Miller pitched one inning and gave up one hit and had two strikeouts; and Kaleigh Caulder pitched one inning and gave up no hits.

Game 2: Dillon 10, Georgetown 0

After a scoreless first inning, Dillon scored one run in the second. Blackmon led off with a single and stole second base. She scored on a fielder’s choice by Graves. In the third inning, Dillon scored one run when McLellan had a one out double and scored on Caulder’s single. In the fourth inning, Dillon scored eight runs. Miller and Blackmon walked. Graves followed with an rbi single. Bracey, Hopkins, and McLellan walked and Phillips was hit by a pitch. Sawyer, Graves, Bracey, and Phillips each had an rbi in the inning to make the final score 10-0.

For Dillon, Caulder had three hits and one rbi; Sawyer had one rbi; Rogers had one hit; Miller had one hit; Blackmon had one hit; Graves had one hit and one rbi; Bracey and Phillips both had an rbi; and McLellan had one hit.

Tori Grimsley got the win for Dillon. She pitched three innings. She gave up three hits and no runs, and also struck out three batters.

Game 3: Dillon 10, Sumter 0

After being rained out on Tuesday, Dillon played the only other undefeated team in the tournament, Sumter.

After a scoreless first inning, Tori Grimsley led off the second inning with a single. After a stolen base, Blackmon laid down a perfect bunt to advance Grimsley to third base. Miller brought in Grimsley with a fielder’s choice.

In the third inning, Dillon plated two runs. Graves walked and stole second base. She scored when Bracey reached on an error. Bracey scored when Hopkins grounded out to second base.

In the fourth inning, Dillon scored six runs. Caulder led off with a hit, followed by a walk to Sawyer. Rogers had a two-run double. Blackmon then had a single and Miller followed with a two-run double. Graves knocked in Miller for an rbi. Bracey reached on a fielder’s choice. Phillips then had an rbi double to bring in Graves. In the fifth inning, McLellan led off with a double and scored on Sawyer’s hit to end the game.

For the game, Sawyer had one hit and one rbi; Rogers had one hit and two rbi’s; Grimsley had one hit; Blackmon had one hit; Miller had one hit and two rbi’s; Owens had one hit; Graves had one hit and one rbi; Bracey had one rbi; Phillips had one hit and one rbi; Hopkins had one rbi; and McLellan had one hit.

Tori Grimsley picked up the win for Dillon. She pitched four innings with no runs on one hit and one walked batter. She struck out seven batters.

Game 4: Dillon 14, Pee Dee 1

Dillon scored two runs in the second inning off two errors by the Pee Dee starting pitcher. Blackmon walked and Miller and Graves reached on errors. Pee Dee scored one run in the second inning when the lead off batter hit a double and she scored on a fielder’s choice.

In the fourth inning, Dillon exploded for 12 runs. In the inning, Caulder, Owens, Hopkins, and Sawyer had rbi singles and Rogers had two singles in the inning which drove in two runs. Blackmon, Phillips, and Miller each had an rbi by a base on balls.

Rogers got the win for Dillon. She pitched three innings and gave up one run on two hits and had two strikeouts. Bracey pitched one inning, giving up no runs or hits.

Game 5: Turbeville 7, Dillon 3

Dillon and Turbeville squared off in the first game on Friday with Turbeville having to beat Dillon twice. These teams have played each other in the past sub-districts and districts with Dillon winning every time. These girls, coaches, and parents know each other well. A lot of these players have played travel ball together.

In the top of the first, Dillon scored three runs when Caulder led off the game by reaching first when she was hit by a pitch. Sawyer walked and Rogers had a two-run rbi single. In the bottom of the first, the pitcher for Turbeville, Regan McKenzie, hit a two-run homer to make the score 3-2. Turbeville went on to score one run in the second, four runs in the third, and one in the fifth. Phillips had the only hit in the rest of the game as McKenzie shut down the Dillon offense.

Tori Grimsley took the loss for Dillon. She pitched two and one-third innings, giving up six runs off of seven hits and three walks, and had three strikeouts. Rogers pitched two and two-thirds innings, giving up one run off of three hits and one walk.

Championship Game
Turbeville 9, Dillon 3

In the championship game after a scoreless first inning, Turbeville scored five runs in the second inning; three in the third; and one in the fifth inning.

For Dillon, in the third inning, Bracey led off with a single and Hopkins followed up with another single. McLellan had an rbi single. In th fourth, Dillon scored three runs. Caulder led off with a bunt, Sawyer walked, and Rogers and Miller had rbi singles. That would be all the scoring for Dillon. For the rest of the game, Caulder, Phillips, and McLellan had singles for Dillon.

Rogers took the loss. She pitched parts of two and one-third innings and gave up eight runs off of nine hits and two walks, and had one strikeout. Grimsley pitched one and two-third innings and gave up one run on two hits and a walk, with three strikeouts. Dillon committed five errors in the game.