“Hungry” White Knoll Lady Timberwolves would not be denied the Class 5A softball championship.

A year ago, they rallied from an 0-1 deficit to J.F. Byrnes in the Best-of-Three state title series. But the Lady Rebels won Game 3 and the championship.

This time, White Knoll emerged from the Lower State loser’s bracket to win five straight games and sweep J.F. Byrnes (2-1, 6-2) for the title.

“They were determined that they were not going to let this slip through our hands this year,” head coach April Farr said. “They went to work at practice and worked on the mental part of the game and then came out and laid it all out on the line. They gave all heart and it paid off.

“That Ashley Ridge loss (4-1 on May 7) snapped a 13-game winning streak and gave us our first loss at home. I reminded them of that and said, ‘After we suffered our first loss this year in a tournament (3-1 to May River at the Aiken Triple Crown Invitational), you got even more focused and you went on a 13-game win streak. All I am asking is for you to go on a 5-game winning streak now.

“They responded.”

White Knoll outscored its five opponents 25-11 during the winning streak. It started with a 3-0 victory at Region 5-5A rival Lexington, followed by two dramatic wins at Ashley Ridge in the Lower State final.

After winning the first game against the Lady Swampfoxes 11-7, the Lady Timberwolves took the deciding game 3-1 in nine innings on Hannah Goodwin’s walkoff 2-run homer.

Leading the way in the 2-game sweep of J.F. Byrnes was pitcher Andrea Lyon. After pitching all 16 innings in the two wins over Ashley Ridge, the righthander struck out nine batters, allowed just three runs and had three RBI, including two home runs in two games against the Lady Rebels to finish the season with a school-record 27 victories.

“Andrea was a workhorse through this run and the whole year,” Farr said. “She got better every day and she was determined to get back to state this year.

“You would always see her working on her spins and putting in the extra effort to get better and stronger every day. She would be the first in the batting cages to hit and get in extra time.

“I think this is the best championship effort I have ever seen out of my career of coaching.”

Chapin sweeps Airport

in Class 4A baseball

Waiting an extra day for the first state championship in 16 years was well worth it for the Chapin baseball team.

A rainout delayed what turned into the inevitable for Chapin as it completed a two-game sweep of fellow Lexington County “Eagle” Airport High School. After an 8-0 shutout win in Game 1 in West Columbia, Chapin put an end to the Best-of-Three series with a 2-1 home victory.

“It means so much to our players and the town of Chapin,” said Chapin head coach Scott McLeod, who received a new kidney and grandson this year. “Our kids have worked extremely hard all year and winning it all has been their goal from the start.”

Chapin scored twice in the third. The inning saw a little bit of everything: a walk, a pick-off at first, then two base hits and a throwing error resulting in a score.

After Sam LaFrage added an RBI single for Airport, William Privette finished his complete game with a 10th strikeout. It was Chapin’s 11th baseball title and school’s 51st team championship.