Byrnes softball falls in AAAAA state championship to Summerville, lose series 2-0
DUNCAN — Byrnes softball was defeated by Summerville 2-0 Wednesday in Game 2 of the SCHSL Class AAAAA state championship and lost the best-of-three series 2-0.
Despite the low score, this game was electric throughout with plenty of hits, strikeouts, and a walk-off opportunity for Byrnes (29-5) with the winning run at the plate against Summerville (32-1).
Here are three takeaways from the title-clinching game.
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Bounce Back Byrnes
After a tough third inning that saw Summerville score the only two runs of the game, Byrnes senior pitcher Sierra Maness, a USC Upstate signee, struck out the side in the fourth and in the seventh.
Maness kept the pace up by retiring every remaining batter but one — who made it on base after being hit by an errant pitch — from the fourth inning on. In total, Maness struck out 14.
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The Summerville fielding made the difference
Byrnes was constantly getting on base and getting runners in scoring position, but the Summerville defense was catching everything that came its way — even turning a double play.
Despite getting base runners in good spots, Byrnes wasn't given any chance at easy runs and that proved to be the difference in this pitchers' duel.
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Small ball was not working for Byrnes
Byrnes, because Summerville was so efficient on defense, a shift to trying to lay down bunts and advance base runners was a natural choice for Rebels coach Brandi Aiken.
It just didn't go the way they wanted. It felt as if every bunt Byrnes laid down just tiptoed down the line and skirted harmlessly foul. It proved to be costly.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: South Carolina high school softball: Byrnes lose state title to Summerville
