Gaffney Softball Coming On Strong After A Slow Star To The Season

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Gaffney—Early into the 2025 softball season, Gaffney head softball coach Maddie Pruitt is not  pleased with the Lady Indians starting out 0-2, but the team has showed steady improvement with an impressive showing in the Tyger River tournament held March, 14-15.

“We finished 4-1 in the Tyger River tournament, winning our bracket against some good teams,” said Coach Pruitt. (One of those wins was a 4-3 thriller over Seneca.)

“The high school season is a long season, and as a team we have to continue to focus on things we can control in this game,” said Coach Pruitt. “Our team showed growth at the tournament, over the weekend, and I am excited to see how it transfers to the rest of our season.

“On March 1^st, we went 1-2 in a pre-season tournament,” said Coach Pruitt. “Following that we opened up region play (Boiling Springs & Spartanburg) dropping these two games making us 0-2 in the region right now. I feel like we have a more talented team this season, only graduating two players from last season. Right now, we are struggling to play a clean defensive game.”

Gaffney began the season on Feb., 25 with an 8-5 win over Palmetto. Against the Mustangs sophomore pitcher/infielder Ashley Caraway, senior infielder Dacey Phillips, and 8^th grade catcher/infielder Maysen Byars each had two hits. Caraway and Phillips also contributed two RBI’s along with junior catcher/infielder Brooke Smith.



Ashley Caraway was the winning pitcher in the circle against Palmetto scattering six hits while striking out six batters. She currently has a 2.33 ERA.

Smith, junior infielder Korbyn Lydia, committed to USC-Upstate, and junior pitcher Kourtney Caraway are three returning all-region players from 2-AAAAA. Smith has contributed two RBI’s to the team early on.  Lydia is batting .308 with five RBI’s and two stolen bases and was late joining the team to her all-region play with the Gaffney girls’ basketball team this season.

The top hitters to date are Ashley Caraway at .500 including four RBI’s, two doubles, and a .571 on base percentage. Mia Calhoun is an 8^th grade out-fielder batting .500 with four RBI’s, two doubles and a .667 on base percentage. Maysen Byars is hitting .385 with four RBI’s and the team’s only triple. Molly Byars is batting .375 with four RBI’s. Junior outfielder Maddy Burgess is batting .455 with four RBI’s, with a team leading two home runs, and a .500 on base percentage.

Phillips is batting .333 and she is committed to play softball at North Greenville College. Kourtney Caraway is at .273 and senior outfielder Brookly Jennings is batting .250.

Other members of the team include freshman pitcher/infielder Malorie Wood, along with 8^th grade pitcher/second baseman Allie Parker.

The softball team has 8 more games scheduled for the month of March. The Indians are at Greenwood on the 18^th, host Eastside the next day and paly at Byrnes on March, 21^st. On the 24^th they host Dorman, play at Riverside the next day and conclude their March schedule at Greenville on the 28^th.