By Thomas Grant Jr.
LEXINGTON – The Dutch Fork High School softball team came within a run of snapping Lexington High School’s long region winning streak before falling 8-7 in a tightly contested matchup.
After being shut out 12-0 in their first meeting on March 24, the Lady Silver Foxes showed a much stronger effort in the rematch.
Dutch Fork took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Abigail Pouliot scored on a double steal. Lexington responded quickly with an RBI double by Payton Gonce to tie the game.
The Lady Wildcats pulled ahead with a four-run second inning to build a 5-1 advantage, a lead they maintained until the fifth. Aaliyah Hawkins sparked a Dutch Fork rally with a single, eventually scoring after reaching base along with Cali McGee. Pouliot added an RBI single, and Layla Peppers followed with a two-run hit to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Lexington extended its lead to 8-4 with three runs in the sixth inning, but Dutch Fork mounted one final push in the seventh. Capitalizing on two errors, the Lady Silver Foxes added a run before Kate Chavis delivered a two-out, two-run single to bring the score within one.
Chavis was left stranded at second base as the rally fell just short, securing Lexington’s 20th consecutive region victory.
Dutch Fork closes out the regular season with four games, including a Friday matchup against rival Irmo High School.
Soccer
The Dutch Fork boys soccer team kept its hopes alive for a second-place finish in Region 4-5A with a 4-1 win over Lexington last Friday. Ethan Barnes led the way with two goals as the Silver Foxes improved to 5-3 in region play, trailing Lexington by one game and Chapin High School by two in the loss column.
Irmo’s boys team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over White Knoll High School.
In girls soccer, Dutch Fork and Irmo are set to meet Friday in a matchup that could determine the region’s final playoff spot. The Lady Silver Foxes currently hold a one-game advantage after a 1-0 overtime win in their first meeting, decided by a goal from Gretchen Sorrell.
