As they made their way to the deciding championship series game against Pee Dee Academy, Colleton Prep’s softball players challenged themselves to play their best game of the year.
On Thursday afternoon at Laurence Manning Academy, they did it — and captured the SCISA 2A state title.
Haley Bootle dazzled in the circle with a complete-game shutout, Weslin Jones racked up three hits from the leadoff spot, and Taylor Tomedolskey finished it off in the fifth with a title-sealing line drive to run-rule the Golden Eagles 10-0 and win the state championship series two games to one.
The War Hawks wasted no time getting the bats going, scoring five runs in the opening frame. Jones got it all started with a leadoff double, Tomedolskey followed with an infield single, and Bootle drove in both runners on a scorching line-drive double to give her team a 2-0 lead. After a Linley Jones walk, Becca Martin doubled the advantage with a two-RBI single before scoring on an error to round out the five-run inning. Linley Jones then stepped up again in the biggest game of her career, notching a pair of clutch two-out RBI hits in the second and fourth innings to push the lead to 7-0.
The War Hawks could taste the title as the game headed to the bottom of the fifth, needing only three more runs to reach their ultimate goal. Martin led off with a walk, and Caroline Kinard ripped a one-out single to put runners on first and third. After Makenzie Pellum moved a runner over with a bunt, Weslin Jones drew a walk to put the clinching run on first. With a War Hawk on every base, Tomedolskey put the finishing touches on a magical season, clearing the bases on a line drive to left field to give Colleton Prep the SCISA 2A state championship.
Great performances always start with strong pitching, and Bootle was phenomenal, allowing just three hits in her five-inning shutout. The star pitcher also delivered at the plate, belting a huge two-RBI double to open the scoring. Weslin Jones set the tone at the top of the order with a sensational 3-for-3 game, Linley Jones was 2-for-2 with a double while driving in a pair, and Martin tacked on two massive RBI.
Colleton Prep finishes its incredible state championship season with a record of 16-3.
By Wes Kerr / Photo courtesy Rhonda Bailey
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