Lugoff-Elgin softball rides playoff run of resiliency into state championship series
The Lugoff-Elgin softball team hasn’t been rattled by much this postseason.
The Demons showed their resiliency again after being down early Friday in the deciding game of the Class 4A upper state championship at Andrew Jackson High School.
Lugoff-Elgin calmed down and used a five-run second inning to defeat Catawba Ridge 7-3 and win the best-of-three series. The Demons advanced to next week’s 4A state championship series against Darlington.
Game 1 of the state title series is 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lugoff-Elgin.
It is the Demons’ first championship appearance since 1990, the only time the program has played for a title.
“This whole year has been about fight,” L-E pitcher Emma Spradley said. “... When we get down, it doesn’t matter to us. We don’t feel pressure and we do well under pressure.”
Lugoff-Elgin displayed its toughness in the district round after falling into the loser’s bracket and having to win twice at Indian Land to advance to the upper state finals. The Demons then lost Game 1 of the series on Monday at Catawba Ridge before a 14-4 win Wednesday forced a deciding game.
Catawba Ridge jumped out quickly Friday with two runs in the top of the first off Spradley. But Demons coach Savannah Starling challenged her team between innings to keep their composure like it has much of the playoffs.
“I told them not to make the moment so big and that there was a lot of ball to play left. If we thought two runs could beat us, then we had a bigger problem within ourselves than the two runs on the board,” Starling said. “And they responded well.”
Lugoff-Elgin responded with a five-run second inning, and Spradley allowed one run — a solo homer to Audrey Wilson — the rest of the game.
Spradley finished the game as the L-E players stormed the field. Moments later, a large group of Lugoff-Elgin students ran into the outfield to join in on the celebration with the Demon players.
“Our team has talked about this since we got in school and has been working toward it ever since then, so it is a big deal,” Emily Vinson said. “And I think if any team could do it would be this team.”
Starling was part of the Lugoff-Elgin program as a player and now a coach. She got a little emotional talking about how far the program has come from her days as a player until she was promoted to head coach in 2019.
“I got to come up through this program, and it was nothing like it is now,” Starling said.
“But it is the way it is because these kids have put in this work. My seniors, I got them when they were seventh-graders and I was the JV coach. We have kind of grown up together, and seeing them get to do this now is the best feeling in the world.”
Spradley picked up the win, allowing three earned runs on five hits while striking out nine.
Vinson was 2-4 with three RBIs while Camryn Jordan and Sydney Branham each had a pair of hits. Jordan and Branham each had key hits to drive in runs during L-E’s five-run second inning.
WP: Emma Spradley LP: Chloe Burger. Hitters: L-E: Emily Vinson 2-4 3 RBI; Emma Spradley 2-4; Camryn Jordan 1-4 2 RBI; Sydney Branham 2-2 RBI. CR: Audrey Wilson 2-3 HR, RBI; Georgia Burford 1-2 2 RBI; Janelle Ilacqua 2-2
This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 10:03 PM.
