The Long County Lady Blue Tide softball team opened the 2024 season on Monday, August 12 after a week’s delay due to flooding from Tropical Storm Debby. They welcomed in the Richmond Hill Wildcats in a non-region contest, falling 8-0.

The Lady Tide came into the game returning seven starters from the 2023 season and looked to start on a strong note. Sophomore pitcher Casey Lust got things going early as she struck out four of the first six batters she faced, including three in the second inning.

However, the bats were just not going for the Lady Tide as the first four batters went down before transfer senior third baseman Leah Denmark opened things up with a single.

The fourth inning was where things all started going wrong for the Lady Tide.

Lust gave up four hits and a walk while an outfield error allowed one run to score. The Wildcats scored four runs in the inning to take the lead.

The bats continued to struggle for the Tide as they did not get another runner on base until the sixth inning. The Wildcats, however, added more on their side, scoring two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Richmond Hill got a two-run homer to left field to push the lead to 8-0.

Freshman catcher Miley Maulden was hit by a pitch before sophomore second baseman Jersi Lester moved her to third on a double. The Tide could not cut into the lead, however, as the Wildcats moved on to an 8-0 run rule victory.