Barnwell Tunes Up For the AA Softball Playoffs With 3-1 Win Over Class A Contender Branchville On April, 26

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Barnwell — A year later, the Barnwell Warhorses (20-2) softball team, enters the Class AA softball playoffs on May, 1 better prepared, having closed out the 2024 regular season with four wins in five days against Aiken, Williston Elko, Silver Bluff and Branchville.

Barnwell will host Lake Marion On May, 1 in the first game of the AA playoffs. The Warhorses are in District 7 along with Andrews and North Central. Branchville will host Green Sea-Floyds on May, 1 and they are in District 7 that also includes Johnsonville and Charleston Science & Math.

After the win over Branchville head Barnwell coach Mike Beasley told the HSSR, “Last year we only played 14 games prior to the playoffs starting and this year we have already played 22 games going into the playoffs,” said Coach Beasley. “This is by far my best record as a coach going into the playoffs and I am not sure how many 20-win softball seasons Barnwell has had over the years either.

“Our motto, we recently came up, with is that “We start together and we finish Together”,” said Coach Beasley who will serve as a head softball coach in the North-South all-star games scheduled for Lexington High May, 29-20.  “Last year we had some rain-outs and played very few games after Spring break so this year we beefed up the back end of our schedule. We feel battle tested and more prepared entering the playoffs last year. We are hoping to avoid an early exit in the playoffs this year like what happened last year.”

Branchville is coached by former two-time HSSR all-state performer Kristen Hicks when she played at Bamberg-Ehrhardt High. “This was a great tune=up for us for the playoffs,” said Coach Hicks. “We probably will not face a pitcher like Devore until we get deep in the playoffs and that is our goal. We always play Barnwell two or three times a season and our games with them are always within one to three runs of each other.

“We like to play a very competitive schedule and we are excited to have been back-to-back region champions,” said Coach Hicks. “We feel pretty good about our pitcher (Kylie Starns). I call her our Bulldog. She has good velocity and a good curve ball. She has matured a lot and she finally understands it is okay to walk a few people as well as hanging it over the plate. She’s our team leader and she is going to USC Union to play next year.”

Devore now has 191 strike-outs on the year entering the playoffs.

The 3-1 win over Branchville, to close out the regular season on April, 26, was a true pitcher’s duel between Barnwell junior Jaidyn Devore and senior Kylie Starnes of the Jackets.

Devore had 16 strike-outs and allowed on only one hit and one walk in pitching all seven innings. Starnes had 10 strike-outs but she gave up six hits, walked three batters and hit two others, and these free passes gave Barnwell the edge in the very competitive game.

Barnwell took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning after freshman Laney Grubbs walked and advanced to second on a single by Bre’anna Buckmon. A power alley double by Devore brought in both Grubbs and Buckmon.

 In the top of the fourth Branchville scored their only run of the game.  Cadence McAlhaney reached on an error and moved to second on the bad throw. She advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on the only RBI single of the game by sophomore Anna Win Berry. 

Barnwell added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth after Starns had struck-out the first two batters. Right fielder Kendall O’Berry ripped a double to the fence and scored on an RBI single by Tamirah Williams.

In the final two innings Devore fanned five of the six batters she faced. 

Through 20 games, Devore was Barnwell’s top hitter at .614 with 26 RBI’s, 8 doubles, three triples and one home run. Devore is 14-1 in the circle to date with a 0.75 ERA. Abigail Corley is next on the hit index at .457 with 14 RBI’s, three triples and one home run. Buckmon, an outstanding senior catcher is batting ,382 with 15 RBI’s, three doubles and two triples, will be playing in the North-South all-star game hosted at Lexington High May 29-30. 

Other top Warhorse hitters include Grubbs at .358 including 15 RBI’s and a home run. Senior left fielder Kahmiyah Williams is batting .308 with 10 RBI’s and a triple and senior Janicka Jenkins is hitting .300 with five RTBI’s and two doubles. Junior utility performer Tierra Arnold is at .296 with 20 RBI’s including three doubles and two home runs. Junior third baseman Brooklyn Gordan is also at .296 with 9 RBI’s and five doubles. O’Berry is at .250 with 9 RBI’s.

For Branchville the top hitter to date is Berry at .349 including 14 RBI’s. Starns will also be on the North-South team as a pitcher. In 78.2 innings of work she has 106 K’s and a 1.44 ERA.