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East Clarendon kept its postseason momentum alive with a 9-5 victory over Marion on Friday night, advancing in the Class A Lower State softball tournament.
The Lady Wolverines struck early with two runs in the first inning and extended their lead with a four-run third. Despite late rallies by Marion, East Clarendon’s offensive pressure and aggressive baserunning proved too much for the Swamp Foxes, as EC claimed its third win over Marion this season.
Senior pitcher Laiklyn Gaskins delivered a gritty performance in the circle, throwing 142 pitches over seven innings. She allowed five hits and four walks while striking out seven, and only one of Marion’s five runs was earned. Gaskins also helped her own cause at the plate with an RBI single to open the scoring in the bottom of the first.
The Lady Wolverines capitalized on Marion’s miscues, drawing nine walks, getting hit by a pitch once, and stealing nine bases. They managed just three hits but converted those into nine runs thanks to pressure on the basepaths and a handful of defensive errors by both teams.
Payton Hanniford and Addison Fleming contributed key RBIs during the third-inning surge that gave EC a commanding 6-0 lead. Marion narrowed the gap with two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings, but East Clarendon answered in the bottom of the sixth and closed out the game behind Gaskins’ final three strikeouts.
East Clarendon improved to 13-6 on the season and extended their winning streak to three games. Friday’s matchup marked the Lady Wolverines’ fourth straight playoff game at home, but they now turn their focus to the road as they travel to Buford on Monday. Buford enters the game coming off a dominant 15-2 win over Woodland.
The Lady Wolverines are now just a few wins away from returning to the state championship game and continuing what’s become a familiar playoff presence for the program.
