SC Darlings stayin’ alive in World Series
LOCUST - After absorbing a first-round loss to Florida on Saturday, the South Columbus All-Stars bounced back on Sunday with a win of 22-1 over host West Stanly and 13-10 over the Mississippi champions in the 2007 Dixie Darlings (ages 6-8) Softball World Series. The South Columbus team, carrying the North Carolina banner in the 12-team, double-elimination event will have a rematch with Florida today at 6 p.m., in a fourth-round elimination game. “Our girls put the bat on the ball today,” said South Columbus head coach Steven Suggs. “All 12 players really stepped up and made big contributions in both games. “We were a whole lot sharper on defense today also,” Suggs said. The South Columbus team took charge early in Sunday’s battle of North Carolina teams as it eliminated the host West Stanly team. Sunday evening, the SC squad came out on top of a nip-and-tuck battle to eliminate the Mississippi champions from Taylorsville. In Saturday’s first-round game, South Columbus fell behind early against the Florida champions from Spring Hill. A late-inning rally came up short as the North Carolinians fell 10-8. “We have another shot at Florida, and if we play as well as we did in our two games today, I think we can come out okay,” Suggs said. The South Columbus Dixie Darling All-Stars consist of Autumn Anderson, Kierra Brown, Courtnee Faulk, Kourtney Grainger, Sadrine Jacobs, Lindsey Jones, Morgan Nye, Katlyn Pridgen (injured), Holly Sarvis, Madison Spencer, Alexis Suggs, Taylor Turbeville and Brianna Wright. Assistant coaces ar Wendy Suggs, Natalie Grainger and Chad Turbeville. This is the first-ever appearance for a Columbus County team in the Dixie Darlings World Series.