James Island had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They walked away with a 5-2 victory over the Westwood Redhawks on Thursday. Winning may never get old, but James Island sure is getting used to it with their fifth in a row.
Gracie Sue Billings spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on four hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Reagan Wheatley was incredible, firing off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-3. She hasn't dropped below three RBI for three straight games. Another player making a difference was Ellie Wohlscheid, who went 1-for-3 with a home run.
On Westwood's side, they also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Makayla Drakeford gave up five earned runs on five hits and racked up 13 Ks.
On the hitting side, Marguerite Ridgeway made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and fired off two home runs while going 2-for-3.
Even though they lost, Westwood didn't let batters stay on the plate for long and finished the game with 13 strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as James Island only tossed six.
James Island has been performing well recently as they've won eight of their last ten games, which provided a nice bump to their 14-6 record this season. As for Westwood, their loss dropped their record down to 10-13.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. James Island will stay at home for another game and welcome Hartsville at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The last three games Hartsville has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one. As for Westwood, they will look to defend their home field on Saturday against Colleton County at 11:00 a.m.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
