Seahawks softball wins wild one over IR 15-14 to open season

The Sussex Academy softball team stormed onto the scene in 2025, and their start to 2026 has teams battening down the hatches when they see the Seahawks flying in.

First, there was the season’s opener at Indian River, the team the girls beat last year for the first marquee victory. The visitors cracked the game open with a three-run fourth inning to take a 7-4 edge. IR added a run in the bottom of the frame before keeping the Seahawks off the board in the fifth inning. IR piled on nine runs in the fifth inning to take a 14-7 lead.

Undeterred, Sussex Academy kept its flight pattern to come all the way back in the sixth inning with seven runs to tie things at 14-14. Grayce Glover, who homered in the first inning, added her second dinger of the day during the scoring splurge. With the game tied in the top of the seventh inning, IR chose to intentionally walk Glover. The move backfired when Audrey Snyder rocked one to the fence to plate Glover. The Seahawks held on for the 15-14 victory in the bottom half of the last inning.

Next up was Newark Charter, which rolled into Georgetown on a sunny, brisk day for an early first pitch. They were held to just three hits by starter Rilynn LeCates, pitching in the varsity circle for the first time, and juniors Rogue Garcia and Caroline White.

Offensively, the love was spread around, as the Seahawks soared to a 12-1 victory in six innings. Danica Bergh, Glover, White, Snyder and senior Ryan Lowe helped power the offense with multiple hits each.

Bailey LeCates added a feather to her cap when her first varsity hit shot through the infield to score the final two runs of the contest and walk off the win.