The Buckingham County Debs all-star team started the week strong with its second straight win in the 2019 Dixie Softball Debs State Tournament in Concord, but the squad was not able to regain its lead late in an elimination game Tuesday, bringing its state run to a close with a 2-2 record.

Jumping out to a 4-0 lead Tuesday, kick-started by a solo home run from Desiree Brewer, Buckingham maintained the score for nearly half the game against the Lunenburg all-star team.

“Kaya Amos was pitching, and she was doing real well, and somebody hit a shot back up the middle toward her and hit on her kneecap,” Buckingham Debs Manager Elton Chambers said.

He replaced Amos in the circle with Mia Garrett, who struggled that day.

Lunenburg came back, and the score was tied 4-4 in the seventh inning, but then Garrett gave her team a chance to win with a clutch hit on offense.

“Going into the bottom of the seventh, … I think Mia hit a double, was on base, and we were in a position to win it, and we could not get that run in,” Chambers said.

In an extra inning, Lunenburg was able to score, Buckingham could not respond, and the final score was 5-4.

The day prior, Buckingham shut out the Dinwiddie all-star team with a 4-0 win.

“The girls did real well,” Chambers said of this performance. “The defense did good. I don’t think we made any errors at all that game. Camryn Hartless, she hit a triple to start it off, and then she ended up scoring. She actually scored twice in that game. Tyshea Chambers got hit by the pitch, and she ended up scoring a run, and Madison Pribble ended up scoring a run.”

Nikki Hurt pitched the first five innings, and Garrett pitched the last two.

Only Brewer ages out of Dixie Softball after this year, meaning Buckingham could return most of its talented roster in 2020.

“Next year could be a real exciting one if we can get the same group back and just start off where we left off and just eliminate some errors and … get the girls putting the bat on the ball a little bit more,” Chambers said.