LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The Lancaster County 8u Darlings softball team strung together several hits that led them to a South Carolina state title.
“It was just really surreal. Just seeing the happiness on the girls’ faces, the happiness from the fans. It was just a wonderful moment, seeing them all together wanting to grab the trophies and the flag,” said Lancaster Darlings assistant coach Jamaya Miller.
Head coach Daniel Craig said the 8-year-old girls spent time on this field every day, making sure every detail was just right. It ultimately led to a two straight victories — 18-2 and 17-6 — winning the South Carolina State 8u Softball Championship.
“There’s a lot of growth,” Craig said. “There’s a lot of chemistry now, but the girls are starting to trust each other. But the biggest thing is to see the improvement in their throwing, hitting, and trusting in the other coaches, and trust in each other.”
“They make me feel together. They make me feel safe with them,” said second baseman Nadia Simpson.
She feels like the team improved throughout the season, building the confidence and trust that coach Craig sought.
“I just go out there,” Simpson said in response to preparation for the games.
The team’s pitcher, Paige Faulkenberry, feels the same way. She said lots of practice paid off.
“What the team needed to work on was focusing on the ball,” Faulkenberry said.
And once that clicked. The team punched their ticket to the 8U World Series in Florida at the end of July. They’ll represent the entire state of South Carolina in the Dixie Softball World Series.
“I think it’s good for Lancaster because there’s not really a lot of girls that are playing softball right now. And I think this out here is going to bring a lot of girls to it and get their interest,” Craig said.
When asked what Simpson was looking forward to the most in Florida, she said, “The win… I just want to win.”
If you would like to donate to this championship team, click here.
The staff wants to help as many team members as possible get down to Florida.