By R.G. Greene
rgreene@waccamawtimes.com
A few adjustments at the plate kept the Waccamaw softball team alive in the Class AA District 7 playoffs on Saturday.
Concentrating on getting the ball into right field or back through the middle, the Warriors produced 11 hits and outslugged Barnwell 10-8.
"We had trouble with the outside pitch the other night," said Waccamaw coach Scott Streiffert, whose team opened the postseason with a 5-1 loss to Buford on Thursday. "We were trying to pull everything into (left field) instead of using the whole field.
"We spent a lot of time in practice the other day working on our approach (at the plate.) It seemed to pay off. Several of our big hits were to center or right field."
Saturday's win earned the Warriors (23-3) a rematch at Buford today. Though a loss would end the season, the squad's confidence doesn't appear to be shaken.
The last two years the team has shown the ability to string together victories, winning a school record 21 games in a row last season and a 16-game win streak this spring.
"We know what we're capable of doing," said catcher Jina Skiles. "We just have to stay together."
Waccamaw rallied for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, erasing Barnwell's 5-3 lead.
Nikki Legg's two-run single tied the game and Addie Avant followed with a two-run double to the centerfield fence that put the Warriors ahead 7-5.
Skiles' two-out single brought Avant home and she later scored what turned out to be the game-winning run following a wild pitch.
Skiles' RBI single in the bottom of the sixth gave the Warriors an insurance run and provided them with their final margin. Like her hit in the fourth, it was right through the heart of Barnwell's defense and into centerfield.
"I was seeing the ball really well today," said Skiles, who finished 3-for-4. "I moved a little closer to the plate and that helped. I was able to take the outside pitch and drive it the other way."
Said Streiffert, " Jina has been a clutch hitter for us all season and she continued that (on Saturday). She came through when we needed her to."
Waccamaw took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Legg walked and scored following a balk and Ashley Czechner delivered a sacrifice fly that brought home Avant.
Ashley Frank brought Barnwell back in its next at bat, swatting a two-run single that evened things at 2-2.
Malena Wilkes RBI single broke the tie in the bottom of the third inning, but Barnwell again rallied, scoring three times in the top of the third. Andi Hogg, Taylor Roberts and Devan Roberts all had run-scoring singles for the Warhorses in the frame.
Avant picked up her 13th win of the season, working the first four innings and striking out seven.
Czechner worked the final three innings and after a rough start - Barnwell used a combination of errors and walks to score three times in the fifth - she settled down, not allowing a hit over the final two innings to earn her first save.
WACCAMAW 10, BARNWELL 8
Barnwell 023 030 0 - 8 9 1
Waccamaw 210 601 x - 10 11 3
WP - Addie Avant. LP - Brittany Wyndham. S - Ashley Czechner. 2B - Hillary Zorn (B), Avant, Brittany Shelley (W). Leading hitters - Barnwell: Andi Hogg 2-4 (RBI), Devan Davis 2-4 (RBI); Waccamaw: Avant 3-4 (2 RBIs), Jina Skiles 3-4 (2 RBIs).