Published Tuesday, May 06, 2008 8:49 AM
Updated Tuesday, May 06, 2008 8:50 AM

 

Finding Mudville 5/7/08

Young Lady Stags are kids – and champs


The best angle for pictures at Berkeley on Wednesday afternoon was along the third base line with the sun at my back, and coincidentally right next to the visiting Conway Tiger dugout.

Just about ready to lose the District 5 championship to the Lady Stags, Conway’s phenom and USC signee Evan Child remarked – with an air of disdain mixed with cynical disbelief – that Berkeley only had two players “going on to school, the catcher and someone else.”

As if it were somewhat of an insult to lose to a team that had just two college-worthy ballplayers.

Being nearby and also being one who has a problem keeping his mouth shut, felt inclined and obligated to answer on Berkeley’s behalf.

“That’s because Berkeley only has two seniors on the team,” I said.

“Say what?” Childs looked up while strapping on her shin guards.

I nodded across the field at the Lady Stags gathering in the first base dugout and said, “Berkeley only has two seniors, and their two pitchers are a sophomore and an eighth grader.”

“That girl is just a sophomore?” Childs asked with a bit of an incredulous frown in reference to Taylor Luff who happened to be throwing a one-hitter and striking out nearly a dozen Lady Tigers in the process.

I just nodded like I was there for Luff’s christening. “And their other pitcher who is almost as good is just an eighth grader,” I said.

I also added that with just three juniors on the team, the majority of the Lady Stags were freshmen and sophomores.

“You mean they’re all coming back?” Childs asked.

“Almost all of them,” I replied with too much pleasure.

I’m still trying to come to grips with the fact that seventh and eighth graders can play non-contact varsity sports in South Carolina. Chelsea Napier won’t even start high school until next year and she’s already thrown a no-hitter in her high school career.

I passed that little tidbit on to the future Gamecock with the Howitzer for an arm. She blanched.

The Lady Tigers looked like a team who had already been beaten after being held hitless over three innings and half their hitters going down on strikeouts. They spent more time complaining about the loose dirt on the infield and arguing with the umpire than playing softball.

Lead off hitter Jessi Swartz was ejected from the game for taking exception to being called out for hitting out of the batter’s box after running half way to the mound to slap a single to left. Her remarks were more a manifestation of her team’s frustration at being unable to muster any offense than anything else.

The Lady Tigers walked on and off the field, and moped back to the dugout from home plate after each of their 11 strikeouts.

They couldn’t even muster a good “L-E-A-D-O-F-F, Lead off, lead off” cheer.

The revelation that they were about to be shut out and one-hit by just a sophomore added insult to injury I guess.

I’m sure it was a long bus ride back to Myrtle Beach.

The Lady Stags historic District 5 championship – the first ever for a Berkeley High School softball team seems as implausible as a sophomore emerging as one of the most dominant pitchers in the Lowcountry.

Luff improved her record on the season to 14-8, which means she lost more than a few times.

There was a time in and around the Azalea tournament that the Lady Stags nearly imploded on the field and couldn’t beat anybody except themselves. Coach Jesse Abrams issued the understatement of the season when he said, “We’ve been up and down all year.”

When you take a little longer look up and down the Lady Stags’ roster you understand why now.

These kids are just babies. They aren’t supposed to be this good. Not yet, anyway.

Just don’t tell them that.

More than half the team still can’t drive. A third of the team still has to be in bed by 9.

I’m sure if you were to ask, there might be a Hannah Montana fan somewhere in the dugout.

Young as they may be, their play is wise beyond their years.

Only catcher Rebecca Harris and third sacker Crystal Smith are getting fitted for caps and gowns this month.  Their most feared hitter, Erica Kauffman still has another year to get even better.

After Rebecca Jones and number-two hitter Jordan Peterson, the rest are freshmen and sophomores. Oh yeah, and an eighth grader.

They might still be kids, but these Lady Stags are also District Champs. No wonder Jesse Abrams can’t stop smiling.