2-time defending softball state champion Pee Dee being hindered by weather

Mullins – The Pee Dee Academy softball team has had a hard time getting in a groove this season because it has had a hard time playing games.

The Golden Eagles were 8-1 heading into Easter, but five of those games were time-limit games in the Pee Dee Pitch-Off. And they were spread out over two weeks because of weather.

“We're five weeks into the season and because of rain we've yet to play more than one scheduled game in a week,” said PDA head coach Will Eskridge of his 2-time defending state champions. “We're used to playing a lot of games, two and three a week, so it feels like it's been hard to get in a rhythm. We've faced some really strong teams, and barring one bad inning, we've played pretty well.”

Perhaps the reason for that is that Pee Dee returns all nine of its starters from last year’s 23-5 SCISA AAA state championship team.

Senior Baxleigh Arnette, a Presbyterian commitment, bats leadoff and starts at shortstop. Region 2 Player of the Year Lizzie McCaskill, who had a .465 batting average last year, bats second and plays center field. Junior Savanna Baker is in the 3 hole and plays right.

Juniors fill the next three spots in the order. Anna Cooke bats cleanup and plays third base followed by leftfielder Claire Eskridge and first baseman Katie Estes.

Sophomore Maddie Coward is a standout pitcher batting seventh. Her catcher, sophomore Leah Nettles, bats eighth and freshman second baseman Azeleigh Arnette rounds out the order.

The Arnettes, McCaskill, Coward and Nettles were All-Region selections.

Eskridge, in his sixth season as head coach, said he has been blessed with an array of talented players.

“Lizzie is definitely a game changer,” he said. “She's almost always been the fastest player on the field. She's a gifted athlete, and she understands the game. When she's on the bases it's fun to watch as she knows exactly what to do, she generally always has the green light from me to steal anytime she sees the opportunity. Her speed makes the outfield much smaller for our defense.”

“Baxleigh is another young lady who has been gifted with speed, and knows exactly what to do on the bases,” Eskridge said of Barnette, who was leading PDA in hitting at .458 and had eight runs batted in. “She has a high softball IQ and is fun to watch play.”

“Maddie is a phenomenal player. She's as mentally tough on the mound of any pitcher I've been around. She loves the game, puts in the work and her results speak for themselves. If you watch Maddie during a game she's like a coach on the field. She's always aware of the situation and what should happen next. Watching her play you forget how young she is.”

Coward was leading in RBI with 10 and had a .450 average.