The Dillon Lady Wildcats rallied to win the 2A lower state softball title on Saturday, May 14, in a double-header played in Dillon.
The Johnsonville Flashes defeated the Dillon Wildcats 5-1 in the first game behind the pitching of Savanna Young who pitched both 7-inning games for her team as did Tori Grimsley for Dillon.
In game 1 Dillon scored a run in the bottom of the first inning to take an early lead only to have Johnsonville pick up 3 runs in the top of the second inning.  The Flashes added another run in the top of the third and another run in the top of the fifth off of 7 hits while holding Dillon to 4 hits.
Johnsonville committed 1 error while Dillon committed 4.
Savanna Young picked up the win for Johnsonville while striking out 1, allowing 1 earned run, and walked no one.
Tori Grimsley was the losing pitcher.  She allowed 7 hits, walked 2, struck out 3, and allowed 5 runs of which 4 were earned.
Game 1 began easy for Dillon’s pitcher as the top of the first inning was 1, 2, and 3 outs.
Dillon’s lead-off hitter, Auh’kieria Smiling dropped 1 into left and managed to get to second. A’Doshia Graves sacrificed a bunt to move the runner to third. Marissa Tyndall hit 1 to the shortstop and picked up a rbi for what would be Dillon’s only run of the first game.
After Savanna Young grounded out to start the inning for Johnsonville, Kirby Blakeley was walked. Kayla Ard hit a grounder to third and both runners were safe at first and second due to a fielding error. Arlie Ard connected for a rbi as she hit one up the middle.  Carley Smith struck out watching for out 2 in the inning. Blakeley scored on a passed ball. Malin Thompson popped up a short one that was fielded by the catcher who missed it; a run scored. After 1 and 1/2 innings Johnsonville led 3-1.
The Flashes’ Jada Parsons hit a grounder to third and was safe at first due to a fielding error.  Parsons scored in the inning to bring the score to Johnsonville 4 and Dillon 1.
In the fifth inning Jada Parsons again hits 1 to third and before the inning was over had managed to score the fifth run for Johnsonville.  The final was 5-1.
Johnsonville’s Kayla Ard and Arlie Ard each went for 2-3 with a rbi while Jada Parsons was 2-4.
Auh’kieria Smiling was perfect while going 3-3 with a double for Dillon.
Game 2 of the doubleheader proved exciting for all as the lead went back-and-forth until Dillon’s A’doshia Graves connected for a single in the bottom of the seventh to give Dillon a 4-3 victory.
In the first inning Johnsonville’s Malin Thompson connected for a lead-off triple between left and center. Jada Parsons hit 1 to shortstop and picked up a rbi to lead the game at 1-0 after 1/2-inning of play.
The score remained 1-0 until Dillon managed 2 runs in the bottom of the fourth when Dillon’s Brittany Miller hit a hot 1 by second for a single. A courtesy runner, Jayla Goodwin, was substituted for Miller. Johnna Rogers hit 1 to center for a double and a rbi to knot the game at 1 each. Ashley Phillips hit 1 to left for a double and a rbi to give Dillon the lead at 2-1 after 4 innings.
The Flashes’ Brook Thames hit 1 up the middle that was fielded by Rogers.  However, the runner was safe at first for a lead-off single. Maggie Leviner dropped 1 over second and now runners were on first and second. Jada Parsons hit 1 to the shortstop and was out at first but runners were now on second and third. Johnsonville’s pitcher, Savanna Young was walked.  The bases were loaded with 2 outs. Kirby Blakeley hit 1 to center but the threat was stopped as the runner was out at home. After 5 1/2 innings Johnsonville was in the lead 3-2. In the bottom of the seventh inning and trailing 3-2, the Wildcats placed Skylar McCoy into the line-up to lead off the last at-bat inning. McCoy connected for a blooper over third with a single. Auh’kieria Smiling connected for a triple to left and a rbi to knot the game at 3. A’doshia Graves hit 1 to center to score Smiling from third and Dillon won 4-3. Tori Grimsley picked up the win. She allowed 5 hits, walked 1, struck out 1, and allowed 3 earned runs.
Savanna Young suffered the loss. She allowed 10 hits, walked no one, struck out 1, and allowed 4 earned runs.
A’doshia Graves connected for 3 hits and a rbi in 4 at-bats for the Wildcats. Marissa Tyndall was 2-3 including a triple. Auh’kieria Smiling connected for a triple and a rbi in 4 trips to the plate. Dillon is 21-5 for the season, and Johnsonville is 27-6.
Dillon hosted Buford in game 1 of the playoffs on Monday, May 16.