Hemingway Lady Tigers looking to build solid foundation for the future

By Neill Kirkpatrick

Special to the HSSR

Hemingway – Softball is one of the top sports in the state of South Carolina with girls across state playing at the high school level and more importantly at the travel ball level where they learn the fundamentals and gain experience, but in Hemingway head coach Donna Palmer Lewis is building her program from the ground up as many of her girls haven’t played softball until they reach high school.

“We are working towards the future of Hemingway softball. We are teaching the fundamentals and preparing more next season when my team has more experience playing the game of softball,” said coach Palmer Lewis.

The Lady Tigers play in 5 A which is home to two of the top softball programs in class A with Johnsonville and East Clarendon but that does not mean they cannot qualify for the playoffs and gain more experience this season.

“Everything we do this year will be a learning and growing experience for our team. We will take some lumps along the way, but it will help us build the program the right way,” coach Palmer Lewis said. “I have a good group of girls and they are putting in the work to get better every day. They have bought into what we are teaching and that is the first step.”

The Lady Tigers returned three players from last season’s squad in Elisha Singletary, Aubree Cooper, and Kelly Wilson.

Singletary is one of the top athletes at Hemingway. She was the top scorer and an All Region 5A selection in basketball, so it is no surprise that she is in the circle for the Lady Tigers.

Cooper is behind the dish and Wilson starts at first base.

The rest of the starting lineup is Shakiya Cooper at second base, LeAsia Scott at third; Diasha Pressley is in right field, Destiny Laws is in center field, and JalaZhah Gillyard is in left field.

Coach Palmer Lewis has two newcomers that have played well this year in Annaleigh Hull and Makayla Bartell