Thre Lexington County softball teams made it to the Upper and Lower State brackets in their respective classifications: Chapin, Lexington and Gray Collegiate Academy. Monday, May 15, two lost and will be facing elimination Wednesday, May 17, while one was victorious and moves into the final of that bracket with a chance to advance to the state championship series.

5A

Chapin

The Chapin Eagles pulled off one of the more surprising results over the weekend in their 5A Lower State opener, traveling to St. James and putting up 11 runs in an 11-6 win.

In that game, the Eagles got home runs from Maddie McMillion and Eason Davis. Leah Cabe also collected three hits while pitching four innings and striking out three batters. Aspen Mayers had an active day at the plate as she recorded three hits of her own.

The win moved Chapin on to the winners bracket where they faced Summerville Monday afternoon after their 3-0 win over Berkeley Friday night.

Summerville entered the contest 28-1 and is widely considered the favorite to win the 5A state title. 

Summerville got an early lead when a fly ball to center field scored the first run of the game. The damage was well controlled by the Eagles and Summerville left with only one run scored in the inning.

Summerville didn’t score again until the fifth inning. 

With runners on the corners and only one out in the bottom of the seventh, Taylor Palfrey hit a line drive to the Summerville shortstop who then threw out Reagan Haggard at third to end the game.

Savannah Stockwell, Alyssa Brulport, Haggard, Ella Majchrzak and Cabe were the only Chapin players to record a hit Monday in the 2-0 loss.

Cabe started the game in the circle and struck out three batters in five innings while Majchrzak came in and struck out two in the final two frames of work.

The loss sets up a home rematch against St. James Wednesday night after their 1-0 elimination game victory over Berkeley. The winner of that game will be tasked with doing something no team has done all year: beat Summerville twice to advance to the state championship series.

Lexington

Like Chapin, the Lexington Wildcats picked up a big win the afternoon of May 12 in their 5A Upper State opener against Dorman. 

In the win, Karley Shelton played an all-around game. She pitched all seven innings and struck out six while also going 3-3 at the plate with a double. However, she wasn’t the only Shelton with an impressive day for Lexington as Kiley Shelton knocked in four of the five Wildcat runs.

Livi Warren recorded the other Lexington RBI, Sam Craig recorded a big hit and Maggie Hinz reached base twice after getting hit by two pitches. 

On Monday, they were faced with the tough task of traveling to James F. Byrnes. The road test was tough and Lexington fell 10-0. Warren, Karley Shelton, Hinz and Maya Drennon all recorded hits in the game but none were able to make it home for a score.

The tough loss sets up a rematch of Friday’s game against Dorman on Wednesday. Once again, the Wildcats will have to hit the road and beat a good Dorman team in order to keep their season alive and get another crack at James F. Byrnes in the Upper State final.

2A

Gray Collegiate Academy

The War Eagles of Gray Collegiate Academy were the only Lexington County team to advance to the final of their bracket on Monday.

They won their opener with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Strom Thurmond in nine innings. Taylor Corley played hero in that game when she grounded out to second and scored Emily Gunter to put the winning run on the board. Corley also hit a double earlier in the contest, pitched all nine innings and struck out five batters. 

Maddox Long was the only War Eagles player to get multiple hits in the game (two).

The win advanced Gray to the winners bracket where they faced Mid-Carolina. Corley was once again on her A-game in the circle. She pitched all seven innings and struck out four while only giving up three hits.

Aspen Boulware and Shields Greene both collected three hits in the afternoon. Boulware led the team in total bases with five and in runs with two.

Greene and Long were tied for the team lead with two RBI. Greene, Gunter and Na’Veah Matthews also crossed home plate once.

The win puts Gray in a great position: hosting the 2A Upper State final at home and having to lose twice to be eliminated. They’ll await the winner of Wednesday’s Mid-Carolina and Strom Thurmond match-up and play them at home Friday afternoon for a chance to advance to the 2A State Championship series.