Since Wren and Crescent both returned the vast majority of their players from last season, both had realistic preseason expectations of contending for a state championship.

But the centerpieces of those teams were Wren junior pitcher Stephanie Saylors and Crescent senior pitcher Bailee Lee. Both baffled opponents with a handful of pitches, and speeds, to handle the bulk of their teams’ innings.

The Anderson Independent-Mail Co-Players of the Year combined to win 39 games and register earned-run-averages of 0.92 or lower. That helped Wren win its first state championship, and Crescent advance to its first state title series since 2003.

Despite facing four teams at least three times, Saylors seemed to improve with each game. Against Gaffney, Mauldin, Hillcrest and Stratford, all teams that advanced to at least a district final, Saylors won the last meeting or meetings against all of them.

“When Stephanie was able to see a team more than once,” Wren pitching coach Katie King said, “She was able to pick up the weaknesses the batters had.”

King added the Saylors could come to the dugout and pinpoint pitch location for certain hitters after one time through the order.

“It was just a mental thing,” Saylors said of losing first games to Gaffney, Hillcrest, and Stratford. “We just had to overcome it.”

Lee said this season was the most fun she’s had playing softball, despite losing to Hanahan in the state championship series to finish Crescent’s season at 23-4.

“It was a great group of girls,” Lee said. “I felt like everybody on the team, even the younger girls, each one of them gave 100 percent all the time. We all had the same goal, we were all focused throughout the whole year.”

As Crescent mowed through the playoffs en route to the state championship, it outscored opponents 43-3, with Lee and a stingy defense splitting the credit.

“I noticed that … and I kind of made a little goal for myself to not let teams score,” Lee said. “I think I put a lot more pressure on myself. Our defense improved too throughout the playoffs, so that was a big thing. Everybody else was confident in me, and I was confident in them. So we knew no matter what, we were going to get an out.”

Crescent coach Gary Adams was impressed that Lee lowered her walks per season from 16 as a junior, to six this season.

“She’s an overachiever when you look at her size and strength, she’s achieved beyond what we thought early in her career,” Adams said. “Playing with good players has helped that, but she’s worked hard and been dedicated and determined to get better each year. Haven’t got discouraged when things haven’t gone her way.”

Saylors also learned to rely on her defense particularly when one or two of her five or six pitches didn’t work.

“She realized that, and buckled down,” King said. “‘I know I’ve got a good defense, but I’m going to shine too.’ If one pitch wasn’t working, it wasn’t a big deal.”

Saylors said she realized the team’s state championship potential at its first practice, and incrementally throughout the season as it played stronger teams.

“We know we have it,” Saylors recalled thinking. “We have an awesome defense, great outfielders and infielders. We’ve just got to put our bats together.”

But as coaches often say, a softball team is only as good as its pitcher. Lee and Saylors proved that by allowing only two losses in the playoffs.

In 192 1/3 innings, Saylors walked 22, and allowed opposing hitters a .130 batting average.

In 114 2/3 innings, Lee struck out 155, and shutout nine teams — four in the playoffs — in 19 games.

In the state title-clinching win, Saylors struck out 11, and retired 12 Stratford batters in a row, while only allowing five baserunners in the game.

“While we had a good offense and defense,” King said. “Stephanie was a huge part of us getting there, and winning it. That right there gives a lot of validity (to her talent level). Now she’s got a ring to prove it.”

Both pitchers plan to continue their craft in college. Lee will attend Lander and major in pre-med, while Saylors is deciding between several schools. She’s had the most interest from Memphis and Presbyterian.

Saylors plays for the Carolina Elite traveling team this summer, and hopes to polish what she already has for next season, when Wren returns eight starters in its title defense.

“I just keep working and practicing every day because the more I practice the better I get,” she said.

Anderson Independent-Mail all-area softball team

STEPHANIE SAYLORS, WREN JUNIOR, PITCHER

One of the main reasons Wren won its first state championship, Saylors, the Anderson Independent-Mail Co-Player of the Year, was 24-4 with an 0.80 ERA. She struck out 272 and walked 22 in 192 1/3 innings. She also had 14 shutouts and opposing teams hit .130 against her.

BAILEE LEE, CRESCENT SENIOR, PITCHER

Along with a stellar defense, Lee held opponents to three runs in the playoffs up to the state championship series. The Anderson Independent-Mail Co-Player of the Year went 15-3 for the 2A state runnerup, struck out 9.4 batters per game, while only walking six the entire season. She shutout nine opponents and allowed only a .174 batting average to the opposition.

MARILYN NEWMAN, WREN JUNIOR, OUTFIELDER

Newman led the state champions in home runs (6), doubles (10) and RBI (36) out of the No. 5 spot in the order. She hit .348 with an on-base percentage of .413, and a slugging percentage of .674. Her walk-off home run in the Upper State championship gave Wren a 4-3 victory over Mauldin.

MALLORY KUYKENDALL, WREN SENIOR, FIRST BASE/LEFT FIELDER

The state champions’ cleanup hitter was one of the more clutch players all season for the Lady Canes. She led the team in batting average (.389), on-base percentage (.455), hits (37), singles 24, triples (4). She was also 6-for-6 in stolen bases. She also had a .972 fielding percentage with only two errors.

AMBER SUTHERLAND, CRESCENT SENIOR, CENTER FIELDER

Perhaps the area’s best leadoff hitter, Sutherland hit .457 with an on-base percentage of .510. She stole 50 bases, and led the Lady Tigers in with 42 singles and 36 runs scored. Sutherland only struck out seven times in 92 at-bats, and committed one error in the field to sport a .962 fielding percentage.

TAYLOR ELROD, WREN SOPHOMORE, THIRD BASEMAN

On most other teams, Elrod wouldn’t hit seventh in the order. But on the state championship squad she did, and still hit .341, was second on the team with 21 RBIs and had a .449 on-base percentage. She played the second most innings on the team, and had an .869 fielding percentage.

JERITA ADGER, CRESCENT JUNIOR, RIGHT FIELDER

Adger hit second for the Lady Tigers, but led the team with 29 RBIs, to go with a .405 average, including .408 with runners in scoring position. Her speed helped her leg out 12 extra-base hits. She stole 29 bases, and was second on the team with 34 hits and 35 runs scored.

STEPHANIE MIHALY, SENECA SENIOR, PITCHER

The Western 3A Player of the Year, Mihaly went 15-4 for the Lady Cats. The North-South All-Star selection struck out 221 batters in 129 innings with 27 walks. Mihaly was also one of Seneca’s best hitters with a .523 average and a .667 on-base percentage and 13 doubles.

HALEY TAYLOR, CRESCENT SENIOR, FIRST BASEMAN

The Lady Tigers’ cleanup hitter tied for the team lead with 12 extra-base hits, and was second on the team with 25 RBIs on a .521 slugging percentage. She collected an on-base percentage of .351, and hit .340.

HEATHER RICHEY, ABBEVILLE JUNIOR, PITCHER

The all-state and all-Skyline region selection went 20-5 for the Lady Panthers with an 0.74 ERA and 224 strikeouts.

OLIVIA PICCIRILLO, SENECA JUNIOR, CATCHER

An all-Western 3A region selection, Piccirillo hit .418 with an on-base percentage of .533. She stole 23 bases, and drove in 23 runs. Behind the plate, Piccirillo registered 21 assists, five errors, and an .830 fielding percentage.