Two weeks ago in Florence, the Turbeville Debs All-Star softball team won the right to represent South Carolina in the Dixie Debs World Series in Alexandria, La.
The Turbeville ladies started off winning with two victories right off the bat, then stumbled with back-to-back losses in the double elimination series.
On Saturday, July 30, the Turbeville Debs put a whipping on Georgia, 11-1.
“We did what we were supposed to do,” Coach Greg Browder said Wednesday. “It was our easiest game.”
Adri Watford struck out five in three innings on the mound, while Carston Walker struck out two in the last two innings.
Both ladies helped out with their bats. Watford went 2-2, while Walker had a double. Watford and Walker got help from Emily McElveen and Whit-Lee Barrett, who went 2-3, and Kristen McElveen, who had a two-bagger.
The winning continued Sunday with a complete game from Watford.
It was a nail biter against Florida with the Turbeville Debs winning 2-1.
“This was a little better team,” Browder said. “We were tied in the bottom of the seventh and pulled it out.”
In seven innings, Watford gave up five hits and one run. She struck out two with two walks.
Bryant McLendon went 2-2 and brought home the winning run with an RBI double. Louise Benton went 2-3 and scored on McLendon’s winning double. Watford went 1-2, while Kristen McElveen helped the cause going 1-2 with a double.
Sunday evening, Turbeville came up against the home team, Alexandria and lost a close one, 3-2.
“We had three costly errors,” Browder said. “We had the bases loaded in the last inning and couldn’t get the run in. We had our chances.”
Browder said the Debs could have given up going into the last inning behind.
“The girls fought really hard and never gave up,” he said.
Carsten Walker pitched a complete game giving up two runs on six hits with one strike out in the seven inning game. Kristen McElveen went 3-3, while Emily McElveen and Whit-Lee Barrett connected one hit each in three at bats.
On Monday, Aug. 1, Turbeville faced North Carolina in an elimination game. The Tar Heels came out on top 4-1.
A three-run fourth was Turbeville’s undoing. North Carolina completed its scoring with a single run in the fifth.
Turbeville scored its lone run in the fourth.
“We had a couple of errors,” Browder said. “When you don’t hit, the defense thinks they have to make each play and it puts a lot of pressure on them.”
Adri Watford pitched the first three innings. Bryant McLendon pitched the next three innings and Alexus Watford closed out the game for the Turbeville Debs.
Turbeville’s bats were pretty quiet in the loss to North Carolina with just two hits.
Kristen McElveen went 1-1 with a double. Laura Browder went 1-3, while Adri Watford scored Turbeville’s lone run.
Browder applauded his team’s efforts.
“They fought hard,” he said. “They never gave up. They kept trying.”
This was the Turbeville Debs first trip to the Dixie Debs World Series.
“This was great for our first trip to the World Series,” Browder said. “We lose four girls from this team but we have a good group coming back.”
Browder said the group of girls moving up to the Debs level have a lot of potential.
“We should have a good team next year,” he said.
