By Thomas Grant Jr.
Visitors to Friarsgate Park will see the home for Irmo Little League highly adorned with championship banners.
Many of the teams responsible for those accomplishments competed for more banners this past weekend. For the first time, the Junior League softball team looked to earn another trip at its home park.
On Sunday, Irmo defeated Virginia 7-3 to win the Southeast Region championship. It was the third region title in four years for the team, which placed runner-up at the JLSWS in 2022.
This year’s team consisted of players from Irmo, Pelion, Batesburg-Leesville, Gilbert, and two other Lexington County schools.
“They play at about six different high schools, but they have come together really well and just come together as a family,” head coach Bryan Jones. “They’ve all come together. Whether they’re in the game or out of the game or hitting or on defense, they all have each other’s back and support each other very well.”
Irmo went 3-0 in the tournament. It opened with a 9-1 win over Florida on Friday.
After a 6-1 victory over Virginia, the two teams met again in the final. Irmo had a 5-0 lead through three innings as Ainsley Minchew limited the Virginia bats in finishing with 10 strikeouts.
“She’s been extremely solid for us,” Jones said. “It all starts with her and (catcher) Charity (West) behind the plate as the start of it. Ainsley’s throwing very well. We have two other pitchers behind her if she ever slows up, but she had a really good tournament this weekend. She hits her stops very well. Spun the ball well, and it all starts with her. She’s doing a great job.”
Virginia closed the gap to 5-3 going into the bottom of the sixth inning. West reached base to lead off and scored on a throwing error by catcher Isabella Garcia followed by a bunt by Taylor Gunnels.
Evie Adaline followed with an RBI single to extend the lead. Meanwhile, Minchew retired six of the final nine batters by strikeout, the final out recorded on a diving catch in left field.
Having placed runner-up at the 2022 Junior League Softball World Series, Irmo heads back to Kirkland, Wash., on July 17, looking to go one step further. This is Jones’ second trip as head coach, and he’ll be joined by assistant coaches Aaron Reiner and Sarah Minchew.
The tournament will be streamed on ESPN+
“I think they can be very effective,” said Jones about their prospects in Kirkland. “We were solid all-around. One through 12, we’re solid with everybody. We’re now just a top-heavy team. We’re solid up and down the lineup. We’re solid on defense, pitching, and every aspect.”
Baseball
The Irmo Little League Intermediate team is also headed to the World Series.
After losing 13-12 to North Carolina in the opening game Friday, Irmo ran off four straight wins out of the loser’s bracket to claim the Southeast Region title in Kernersville, N.C. It posted two wins over North Carolina (13-7) and Tennessee in which three pitchers combined for 24 strikeouts.
The Little League Intermediate World Series starts July 27 in Livermore, Calif., and is also available on ESPN+.
(Photos by Thomas Grant Jr.) Feature Photo – The Irmo Little League Junior Softball team
