CLARKSVILLE – The Prince Edward Farmville Dixie Softball Darlings team remained alive in the District I Tournament in Clarksville over the weekend with a pair of victories – one on the scoreboard and another by technicality.

The PEFYA Darlings had no trouble with Brunswick, winning 28-8 one out into the fourth inning in the tournament's first round late Friday night, but fell to Dinwiddie 17-16 on Saturday, before being awarded the victory due to substitution errors by PE's opponent.

Such mistakes, though they rarely lead to a forfeit, are not uncommon at the lower age levels of softball and baseball.

In Friday's opener against Brunswick, Prince Edward Farmville opened up an early lead, and was never really challenged.

The PEFYA Darlings scored seven runs in the first, and batted their maximum ten batters, and held Brunswick to just two runs in the bottom half of the inning to get a comfortable lead.

PE Farmville kept the pressure on Brunswick throughout the four-inning game by putting up a linescore that resembled a football score with seven in the first, seven in the second, six in the third and eight in the fourth.

“This is the best hitting team I've coached,” said PE Farmville manager David Schmidt of the Darlings squad that is looking to defend its 2012 District I championship. “Last year, we had a good team all-around, good fielding and hitting. We have about half of the team back from last year, and our fielding is good, and we're gaining confidence with it, but the key to the whole thing at this level is hitting, and as long as that holds up, we'll have a good shot.”

Alyson Lucas and Meredith Schmidt scored four runs apiece to lead PEFYA offensively, while Danner Allen, Kyla Edmonds and Alani Walton scored three runs apiece. Jayla Ford, Olivia Elam and Mallory Brown scored two runs apiece, and Teri Lynn Coe, Summer Boettcher, DaNashsia Dupuy and Sydney Baldwin each scored a run.

Monday's game was rained out, and PEFYA was scheduled to play at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Due to the weather delays, the winner of that game will turn around to play again at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, while the loser will have no rest time, and will play immediately following the conclusion of the 6 p.m. game.