Getting the year’s first region win is always a top priority, and that’s exactly what the Conway High softball team was able to do on Tuesday, March 17, against North Myrtle Beach.
The Tigers clawed their way to an 8-1 win to open up region play, led by the standout pitching performance from senior Olivia Drew, who tossed all seven innings in Conway’s region-opening win.
“The first game of region play is always one of the biggest games of the year for us,” Conway head coach Mike Skipper said. “The competition in this region is so strong, that if you fall behind early, that could be all it takes to push you right on down the ladder or completely out of the playoff picture.”
Drew worked her way through a gritty performance, allowing just four hits to North Myrtle Beach in the complete-game gem. She struck out 11 Chiefs along the way.
Skipper said that Drew is recovering from pneumonia and despite feeling better, she still was working through on Tuesday night.
“[Drew] is huge for us right now,” Skipper said. “Her leadership, she means an awful lot to this team. She has the ability to push through, even when she’s not feeling her best. And today as one of those times. She’s just now getting over it, and she really pushed through.”
Conway softball continues region play this week against North Myrtle Beach and next week against Myrtle Beach.
Perhaps the game’s biggest moment came in the top of the fifth inning, when North Myrtle Beach had the bases loaded with one out and it seemed as though Drew had lost a bit of command. The Chiefs were knocking, but the veteran senior shut things down.
After recording a strikeout, freshman third baseman McKenzie Rabon — who also hit a solo home run for Conway on Tuesday — scooped up a bullet of a one-hopper and stepped on third base to end the inning.
“She did a great job to just throw strikes and keeping us not having to sit back on our heels,” Skipper said of Drew. “She threw strikes, and the girls on defense were ready. There wasn’t a lot of walking — even when she fell a little bit behind, she kept her composure. And that’s what she always does.”
