<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1nWUPi_0sUN2isf00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1nWUPi_0sUN2isf00" width="1763" height="1175" ><figcaption>The St. James softball team greets Kenzie Kraus at home plate after a home run in a game against Socastee on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Photo by Joe Wedra/info@myhorrynews.com)</figcaption></figure>If you’re looking to watch high-level softball this spring, Horry County is the place for you.The area has been filled with standout performances this season, featuring teams that have signaled that the county might see multiple deep playoff runs once the state postseason begins at the end of the month.Near the top of the must-see leaderboard is St. James, where the Sharks clinched a Region V-5A championship on April 15, courtesy of a 7-2 win over Carolina Forest. There hasn’t been much that St. James hasn’t been able to do this season.Their only two losses since March 4 spring break were one-run games to state powerhouses Byrnes (4-3) and Summerville (1-0).Over in Class 3A, it remains Aynor’s world.The Blue Jackets won the 3A state championship last year and there aren’t many reasons to believe the Blue Jackets can’t do it again in 2024. They have just one loss to their record this year — 2-0 to Summerville on March 8. With Maddie Johnson’s dominance in the circle and a lineup that has proven it can score runs, Aynor will be a must-have ticket once May’s playoffs roll around.And while Loris might have dropped both of its region battles to Aynor, the team is otherwise spotless in region play and has played to a 16-5 record this year. Loris is young, but the team has proven it will be a force once the postseason begins.St. James, Loris and Aynor represent the headliners, but teams like North Myrtle Beach, Conway and Carolina Forest all have won standout games over the last several weeks and are just about locked into playoff berths.All in all, it’s a good time to be a softball fan around the county. And looking at the area talent, Aynor head coach Tony Mills said you can credit buy-in to playing the sport throughout the year as a reason for continued success.“You even look at teams like Pee Dee Academy and North Myrtle Beach, it’s been really good,” Mills said, underscoring the point that programs other than the area’s top three are having softball success. “There’s one common denominator in all of this — kids are playing at a high level year-round. We have had the benefit of that probably a little bit longer… but, you start looking at all of the really good programs, that’s what they do.”No matter the reasoning, it is hard to deny that local programs are setting up for a thrilling finish across the board.The state playoffs begin at the end of the month. And if things continue to track as they currently are, Horry County fans will see plenty of home postseason softball games scattered across the schedule once the calendar flips to May.News and notesBoys tennis playoff matches begin on Tuesday. The area is led by Myrtle Beach, which won another region title this year and will look to win another 4A state championship in 2024. Lower State Finals are set for May 7, while the state finals matches will take place on May 10.In the Region V-5A baseball race, St. James is close to wrapping things up. A sweep over Carolina Forest this week would do the trick for the Sharks — so, too, would the combination of a win and a Sumter loss to Conway on either Wednesday or Friday.Aynor softball can clinch a region championship with a home win over Dillon on Friday.Next week is the final week of regular season play for both boys and girls soccer, with the playoffs starting the week of April 29. Horry County boys will be led by Carolina Forest (Region V-5A champions), while the girls will be led by St. James, which can wrap up a region title with a win over Carolina Forest on Friday night.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

High school notebook: Softball teams to watch as Horry County heads into playoffs

If you’re looking to watch high-level softball this spring, Horry County is the place for you. The area has been filled with standout performances this season, featuring teams that have signaled that the county might see multiple deep playoff runs once the state postseason begins at the end of the month.

High school notebook: Softball teams to watch as Horry County heads into playoffs

Comments / 0