The Lunenburg Girls’ Softball (LGS) Debs all-star team was eliminated from the 2019 Dixie Softball Debs State Tournament in Concord on July 24, but the girls nevertheless showed that they belonged among the best teams in the state, finishing 3-2 in the tourney.

“Overall the tournament was a success,” LGS Debs Manager Michael Lewis said. “We started out rough. Then we had the win against Powhatan, which was a significant win, and then we had the Amherst win, and then, of course, our last win was the Buckingham win. The two teams that we did lose to are finishing up one and two, champion and runner-up, so that makes us feel a little bit better (that) the only teams we lost to were the top two teams out of the 12.”

On July 24, Lunenburg fell 12-2 to the Clarksville all-star team.

“We just couldn’t get two or three hits in a row together and get girls across the plate,” Lewis said. “We had a couple times we hit the ball pretty hard, but they just made plays, and they were the better team.”

Riley Jones went the distance in her final Dixie Softball game, pitching the entire game for the LGS Debs.

On July 23, the Lunenburg girls staged a comeback against the Buckingham all-star team to win 5-4 in eight innings.

Lewis said the key to coming back was “never giving up, believing that we can. We had two tremendous bunts that just kept us going to help us score runs.”

Those bunts were hit by Katie Morris and Haley Hayer.

“Kaylee Williams came in with a triple — beautiful,” Lewis said. “It was just a great team effort. And that’s where we put our strength in is our team.”

LGS Debs All-Star Cameron Lewis pitched the entire game.

Manager Lewis said he will remember his team as a group that never gave up, that always persevered.

Aging out of Dixie Softball now are Jones and Josie Epperson.

Most of the team should return next year, though, including a key missing piece in 2019.

“Molly Epperson, who we were really counting on initially, ended up being ineligible because of medical reasons,” Manager Lewis said. “… Of course, she’s getting better, but she will be returning next year, so that’ll be a big plus.”

He said the team will also likely benefit from some talented Belles moving up to Debs.