黑料社入口

Ryann Ellis went all DJ Khaled.

The Aynor senior knew that 29 straight victories was nothing to scoff at. More importantly, she understood that winning is begetting more winning.

On Monday, the latest dominant Blue Jackets鈥� performance came in Game 1 of the Class 3A state championship series facing off against the best softball program this country has ever seen. All Aynor did was jump on Crescent and win 7-1.

鈥淎t this point, it kind of feels like an obligation,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淲e either win, or鈥� there鈥檚 no other option at this point. That鈥檚 what we know. That鈥檚 what we鈥檝e worked so hard for since we were really little.鈥�

Against the Tigers 鈥� a team with a national record 19 state championships 鈥� it couldn鈥檛 have looked much easier. Aynor scored three runs in the first, and then one more in four of the next five innings.

Alaina Brown was 2-for-3 with three runs and an RBI. Ellis was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Riley Rabon was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run.

Meanwhile, pitcher Alivia Hess, just a freshman, looked like a star. Despite sophomore Maddie Johnson getting most of the work in the lower state tournament and possessing a hot hand, coach Tony Mills went with Hess against Crescent.

Tigers leadoff hitter Emily Blackwell started off the game with a double and scored three batters later. But from there, Hess just kept getting better and better. Between the third Crescent hitter of the game and the top of the sixth, she faced the minimum number of batters.

鈥淧eople always ask 鈥榃ho are you going to throw? Your one or your two?鈥� I tell them I don鈥檛 have a two,鈥� Mills said. 鈥淚 have two No. 1s. I鈥檓 blessed to have two No. 1s. They鈥檙e two different kids. They throw a little differently. But they are two No. 1s. I call them my two-headed monster.

鈥淏oth of them wanted the ball. They wanted the ball against Dillon. They wanted the ball against Loris. They wanted the ball against 黑料社入口. But every decision we make is [about] what gives us the best chance to win.

Said Hess: 鈥淚鈥檝e done it before. I did it last year. I鈥檝e done it this season.鈥�

A big reason why was a stout Aynor defense that didn鈥檛 commit an error and made play after play all night long.

The trick now, though, is getting one more win.

Game 2 of the series will be Wednesday in Iva. Should Crescent win, Game 3 will be played at a neutral site Friday, most likely in the Columbia area.

Aynor has the upper hand, but the Blue Jackets also have first-hand experience of the exact opposite scenario. Last year, they lost 7-0 to Broome in the opener of the Class 3A best-of-three championship series.

Aynor managed to win Game 2, but then dropped the deciding game. It was the bulk of the postgame message Monday.

鈥淚f we go up there with a big smile on our face,鈥� Mills said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get our feelings hurt.鈥�

Ellis had no issue repeating it, this time without paying homage to DJ Khaled.

鈥淲e know the game can go either way,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淟ike last year, Broome beat us so bad, and then we went to their place and won. It can happen to anybody. We鈥檝e just got to keep the girls in the right mind and not too overconfident. At the same time, confident enough to get the job done.鈥�