Pine Hill Middle School's softball team already has bragging rights three months into the school year.

Pine Hill beat Tutt Middle School on Oct. 19 to win the county championship. It's the first title for the school, which opened this year.

The team ended the season with an 8-1 record.

The players were dedicated to working on their skills, said Robert McCarty, one of the team's coaches.

"We started off slow and worked on the fundamentals," he said. "Everyone improved, offensively and defensively. They worked really well as a team once we found the best position for them."

Doing well as a team meant getting to know each other, said eighth-grader Baylee Hall.

"We had to learn what each other's abilities were and help each other get better. We also learned how important it is to communicate with each other," she said.

The friendships the girls built with one another helped as well, said Dawn Young, also a coach for the team. "They meshed well together. Very well," she said. "They were supportive of each other on and off the field."

Tiberra Butler, an eighth-grader, liked being around her teammates.

"I was glad to be on the team with people I could also be friends with," she said. "I liked playing with them. My teammates made playing fun."

In the midst of team victories, the girls also celebrated individual triumphs.

"It was my very first experience playing softball, so I had to learn a lot," said Ashleigh Outler, another eighth-grader. "I'm proud of the fact that I caught every ball that came my way, and I got to start."

There was a lot of excitement at the school the day after the championship.

"Everyone was thrilled," coach Young said. "Everyone came up to us and the team to say 'congratulations' and 'way to go.' "

The team has received that kind of support and excitement throughout the season, coach McCarty added.

"Every game, we had a great turnout," he said. "Faculty, students and people in the community came out to cheer on the team. There was a lot of school spirit."

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.