Karley Shelton's walk-off home run lifts Lexington softball in 5A playoffs

Wildcats edge J.L. Mann to advance in the winners' bracket; Roundups and scores from the opening round of SCHL state playoffs

LEXINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - Upon joining the Lexington High School softball team, junior Karley Shelton and older sister Kiley quickly got up to speed on the program’s history and the legacy left by past players.

On Wednesday, the University of South Carolina commit etched a place for herself with a walk-off home run in the opening round of the Class 5A Upper State playoffs, Wednesday.

Karley’s solo blast in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Lady Wildcats a 4-3 victory over J.L. Mann. With the win, Lexington (21-2-1) will play host to Blythewood in the winner’s bracket game Friday.

Lexington's Karley Shelton displays her powerful left-handed swing. She belted a walk-off solo home run in the bottom the seventh inning to lift the Wildcats to a 4-3 win over J.L. Mann on Wednesday / Photo by Thomas Grant, Jr

“It was great to do this for the team and for the team to experience that was one of my top moments,” said the younger Shelton, who also earned the win on the mound after striking out six and allowing three hits and one run in five innings of relief.

The home run was only the fourth hit of the game for the Lady Wildcats. In fact, Karley and Kiley combined for three of both the hits and runs driven in.

For the game, Lexington stranded seven baserunners. Afterwards, head coach Laurie Epps cited her team’s inactivity prior to the playoff opener for the team’s sluggish offensive showing.

“We hadn’t played in a week and a half, so I was a little nervous coming out how we would be after sitting out for so long,” she said. “But, at the end of the day, we got the win. That’s what's important.”

J.L. Mann came out aggressively in the first inning. The Lady Patriots hit four of their seven hits in succession off starter Haley Manz to open the game and take a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Maggie Hinz scored off a bunt single by Maya Drennon to put Lexington on the board.

Following a bunt single by Livi Warren and the second of four errors by the Lady Patriots, Colgate signee Kiley Shelton delivered with a two-run double to center field to give the Lady Wildcats a 3-2 lead.

“We’re definitely a scrappy team, so I just think we just have to keep scraping runs,” the older Shelton said.

In the top of the fifth inning, Brintley Parker hit a double off Karley Shelton. With two outs, starting J.L. Mann pitcher LeAnn Curry drove Parker home with a single.

Two innings later, Karley Shelton got revenge when she “took a hack” at Curry’s 1-2 pitch and sent it over the centerfield wall.

As she rounded third base, awaiting the younger Shelton at home plate were Lexington teammates accustomed to celebrating such close playoff wins in recent years.

Lexington's Maggie Hinz lays down a bunt. She score one of Lexington's four runs / Photo by Thomas Grant, Jr

“I think the legacy that Lexington carries is very difficult to upset,” Karley Shelton said. “The people in front of it set the bar, for sure, and you want to be able to back them up and keep their legacy going as well because they didn’t just come out here. They set the bar real high with the success they had.”

“We’re definitely expected to win in the playoffs and go far and I’m definitely up for that challenge,” Kiley Shelton said.

Up next for the Lady Wildcats are the Lady Bengals, a 12-2 winner over Boiling Springs.

Blythewood 12, Boiling Springs 2 (5 innings)

Lauren Hardy struck out six in five innings and her 3-run home run highlighted an 11-run first inning for the Lady Bengals.

Josie Smythe also drove in three runs and I’yanna Velez and Maya Van Zyl both had two hits in the win.

Gray Collegiate 17, Blacksburg 1

Maddox Long went 2-3 with a home run and five RBI and Nevaeh Matthews went 4-4 with 4 RBI in support of winning pitcher Tori Corley, who allowed no hits for the defending Class 2A champions.

Gray Collegiate plays host to Abbeville Friday in a winner’s bracket game.

Dutch Fork 7, T.L. Hanna 1

Layla Peppers allowed two hits in seven innings and she and Kyra Sutton both had two hits and an RBI to lead the Lady Silver Foxes over the top-seeded Lady Yellow Jackets.

Dutch Fork travels to Dorman Friday for a winner’s bracket game.

Chapin 10, Stratford 0

Ella Majchrzak drove in three runs and struck out 10 and Aspen Mayers hit a 3-run inside-the-park home run to lead the Lady Eagles.

They will play host to Ashley Ridge Friday in the winner’s bracket.

Fort Mill 5, Hillcrest 4 (9 innings)

Brooke Roserio went 3-4, including a go-ahead RBI double in the ninth inning, and El DesErnia added an RBI groundout as part of a 2-run rally to lift the defending Class 5A champions into the winner’s bracket.

Haley Rogers pitched eight innings for the victory over the Lady Rams. The Lady Yellow Jackets face top-seed J.F. Byrnes in the winner’s bracket Friday.

Conway 8, White Knoll 7

The Lady Tigers used a 6-run rally in the third inning to pull out the win over the Lady Timberwolves despite getting outhit 12-2.

Conway plays host to Berkeley in a winner’s bracket game Friday.

Abby Gates and Nikki Gallardo both homered for White Knoll, who play host Friday to West Ashley in an elimination game.

Swansea 10, Battery Creek 4

Dazejah Lanham went 3-4 with 3 RBI and Hayden Moody, who went 3-4, and Kailee Smith, who homered, both had two RBI for the Lady Tigers.

Makenzie Sease struck out six in 4 ⅔ innings for the victory.

The Lady Tigers travel to top-seed Aynor Friday in a winner’s bracket game.

Gilbert 14, Phillip Simmons 0

Andrea Leaphart went 4-4 with five RBI, including a 2-run homer, and Carley Melton and Makynzi Sprague both drove in two runs to lead the Lady Indians.

Izabella “The Beast” Adams struck out six in five scoreless innings on the mound.

Gilbert plays host to Darlington in a winner’s bracket game Friday.

Mid-Carolina 10, Silver Bluff 0 (5 innings)

Amberg Hughes retired all 15 batters faced in five innings and struck out nine to lead the Lady Rebels.

Syman Bowers and Bailey Stewart both went 2-3 with two RBI each and Jaila Gallman and Sarah Bryant each scored twice in the win.

Mid-Carolina plays host to Liberty in a winner’s bracket game.

Abbeville 5, Pelion 2

Garianna Burton went 4-4 and Audrey McCurry drove in two runs to lead Abbeville in the battle of the Lady Panthers.

Abbeville travels to defending Class 2A champion Gray Collegiate Friday in the winner’s bracket game. Pelion plays host to Blacksburg in an elimination game Friday.

OTHER SOFTBALL PLAYOFF SCORES

Marion 7, Andrew Jackson 5

Beaufort 6, Brookland-Cayce 1

Dillon 5, Camden 1

J.F. Byrnes 10, Spring Valley 0

Strom Thurmond 15, W.J. Keenan 0

Summerville 17, River Bluff 0